- Title: DENMARK-SHOOTING/COPENHAGEN PEGIDA PEGIDA-style protest in Copenhagen attracts 50
- Date: 16th February 2015
- Summary: PEGIDA PROTESTERS PROTESTERS APPLAUDING (SOUNDBITE)(English) PROTESTER ANNIE MELBY SAYING: "No, because we do it in a very peaceful way. We just say, we don't want that kind of terror here and we still want to have the freedom to say what we want and think and live in the same way. And if they don't want that, if they want to destroy that, they have to leave the country and go back to where they come from." ORGANISER MAKING A SPEECH BEHIND BANNER DANISH FLAG IN THE WIND DEMONSTRATION (SOUNDBITE)(English) PROTESTER ANNIE MELBY SAYING: "I hope so, I hope this will grow. There's a lot of people, all the people I know, they are not here, but they think the same as I do. And they vote that way, because they are also tired and afraid and angry. So we have to do something." DEMONSTRATION
- Embargoed: 3rd March 2015 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Denmark
- Country: Denmark
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVADJVDE0C9B4UI21AFXQZ8T52CO
- Story Text: PegidaDK, a Danish sister movement to the German PEGIDA, held a demonstration against Islamic fundamentalism in Copenhagen on Monday (February 16).
According to police, some fifty people took part in the demonstration in the centre of the capital.
The demonstration was organised by PegidaDK, based on PEGIDA - The movement Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamisation of the West - that has held protests in Germany.
Over the weekend, a 22-year-old gunman opened fire on a cafe in Copenhagen hosting a free speech debate on Saturday (February 14), killing one, and attacked a synagogue, killing a guard.
Danish media have widely named the gunman as Omar Abdel Hamid El-Hussein.
"We do it in a very peaceful way. We just say, we don't want that kind of terror here and we still want to have the freedom to say what we want and think and live in the same way. And if they don't want that, if they want to destroy that, they have to leave the country and go back to where they come from," said Annie Melby who took part in the protest.
She said many people agreed with PEGIDA's sentiments and hoped more people would come.
"I hope this will grow. There's a lot of people, all the people I know, they are not here but they think the same as I do. And they vote that way because they are also tired and afraid and angry. So we have to do something," Melby said.
The killings shocked Danes who pride themselves on a welcoming and safe society, and fed into a national debate about the role of immigrants, especially Muslims. The populist Danish People Party, which campaigned against the building of a mosque here, has strong support in the polls.
Denmark became a target of Islamists 10 years ago after the publication of cartoons lampooning the Prophet Mohammad, images that led to sometimes violent protests in the Muslim world. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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