- Title: DENMARK-SHOOTING/MEMORIAL Defiant Danes march after gunman attacks Copenhagen
- Date: 16th February 2015
- Summary: COPENHAGEN, DENMARK (FEBRUARY 16, 2015) (REUTERS) PEOPLE AT MEMORIAL, HOLDING CANDLES CLOSE OF CANDLE WOMAN AT MEMORIAL DANISH FLAG IN FRONT OF FLOWERS AND CANDLES PEOPLE HOLDING CANDLES (SOUNDBITE) (English) PIA GASS JENSEN SAYING: "I'm here because I would like to be with all the other Danish people, because we have to protect the way we speak and protect democracy." PEOPLE LISTENING, HOLDING CANDLES WOMAN WITH CANDLE LISTENING FLOWERS AND CANDLES ON GROUND FLAG AND MESSAGES ON GROUND (SOUNDBITE) (English) GITTE KRARUP SAYING: "We want to have our freedom in the Danish community and I think it's very important that we tell all the people in all the world that we are not scared but we are afraid of what is going on in the Danish community." FLOWERS ON GROUND WOMAN PLACING CANDLE ON GROUND TORCH PEOPLE LISTENING (SOUNDBITE) (English) RASMUS CARLSSON SAYING: "I'm here in memory of the two dead people here at the terrorist attack Saturday night and of course also to give my deepest thoughts to all who have been involved in finding the attacker." SEA OF FLOWERS AND CANDLES ON THE GROUND CANDLE PEOPLE AT MEMORIAL FLOWERS WITH PEOPLE IN THE BACKGROUND VARIOUS OF FLOWERS
- Embargoed: 3rd March 2015 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Denmark
- Country: Denmark
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVA9FURJD8CPYVW2IMGKO1D0JR7D
- Story Text: Tens of thousands of Danes gathered at torch-lit memorials around the country on Monday (February 16), commemorating victims of deadly attacks on a synagogue and an event promoting free speech that shocked a nation proud of its record of safety and openness.
According to local media, some 30,000 people had gathered in Copenhagen to remember the victims.
Denmark's Crown Prince Frederick was also among the attendees.
Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt thanked the international community for the support they had voiced.
"We have received expressions of sympathy and support from leaders and people around the world. It has warmed my heart and all Danes deeply, we are so grateful for all the support that we have felt," she told the crowd.
In an evening of soft music and speeches, defiant Danes promised to uphold freedom of expression after reports the gunman was a Dane with Palestinian roots and a passion for Islamist issues.
The 22-year-old gunman opened fire on a cafe which was hosting a free speech debate on Saturday (February 14), killing one, and attacked a synagogue, killing a guard. He was later killed in a shootout with police in his neighbourhood of Norrebro, a largely immigrant part of the city with a reputation for gang violence.
People at the memorial listened to speakers and many were holding candles and had left flowers with messages.
"I'm here because I would like to be with all the other Danish people, because we have to protect the way we speak and protect democracy," said Pia Gass Jensen.
Gitte Krarup attended the memorial to show people around the world that Danes were scared, but admitted to being afraid of what was happening in Denmark.
"We want to have our freedom in the Danish community and I think it's very important that we tell all the people in all the world that we are not scared but we are afraid of what is going on in the Danish community," she said.
Rasmus Carlsson said he was there to remember the two people who were killed as well as honouring those who took part in finding the gunman, who has been widely named as Omar Abdel Hamid El-Hussein.
"I'm here in memory of the two dead people here at the terrorist attack Saturday night and of course also to give my deepest thoughts to all who have been involved in finding the attacker," he said.
El-Hussein was convicted two months ago of a violent assault against a commuter on a train in 2013. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None