New mosque plan divides Helsingør city council

A proposal to build a new mosque nearly three times the size of the existing one in Helsingør has split the city council along political lines, with the centre-right majority seeking to block the project while left-wing parties call for dialogue, reports Danish broadcaster DR.

The local Islamic congregation, Helsingør Islamisk Menighed, plans to construct a 1,200-square-metre, two-storey mosque adjacent to its current 412-square-metre facility on Egevænget. While existing zoning permits the expansion, the council’s centre-right bloc—led by Conservative mayor Benedikte Kiær—intends to issue a temporary ban to revise local planning rules and prevent the project.

Kiær cited outdated zoning regulations and insufficient infrastructure as justification, emphasising traffic and parking constraints rather than opposition to the mosque itself. “This is not about it being a mosque,” she told DR. “It’s about the activity and the challenges with infrastructure and parking. There simply isn’t capacity for it.”

The congregation has not responded to interview requests but stated on social media that parking shortages—particularly during Friday prayers—have forced some worshippers to pray outdoors due to overcrowding. Membership has grown significantly over the past two decades, they noted.

Left-wing parties, including the Social Democrats and SF, oppose the ban. SF group leader Noah James Donkin called the measure “far too drastic,” arguing for negotiation instead. “We should find a solution together and engage in dialogue rather than impose a prohibition,” he said.

The council’s finance committee previously voted along party lines, with centre-right members (including the Conservatives and Liberal Party) supporting the ban and left-wing parties (plus the Moderates) opposing it. A final vote is scheduled for Monday afternoon.