Denmark’s minister for gender equality, Ane Halsboe-Jørgensen, has accused Dansk Folkeparti politician Nick Zimmermann of stirring hatred against LGBT+ people after a Facebook post about flags. The exchange came on August 13, in the middle of Copenhagen Pride week.
Zimmermann, who serves as Dansk Folkeparti’s employment spokesperson, wrote on Facebook that Denmark does not fly the EU flag, the Pride flag or the ISIS flag, but Dannebrog. DR reports that the post prompted sharp criticism from the minister, who said the comparison crossed a line. Copenhagen Pride runs from August 8 to August 16, with events including Rådhuspladsen in central Copenhagen.
Halsboe-Jørgensen described the parallel between the terror organization ISIS and homosexual people as completely insane. According to DR, she said ISIS wants to execute homosexual people in the name of Islam, and that drawing such a comparison was far over the line. She added that Denmark is in a period of change with rising hatred against homosexual people.
The minister called the timing of the post extremely poor. As reported by DR, she pointed to a summer in which Berlin saw an attack on homosexual people that German authorities regard as an Islamist terror attack. Setting a terror organization alongside a flag celebrating diversity during Pride week in Copenhagen was, in her words, bizarre.
Zimmermann rejects the criticism
Zimmermann denies that he compared homosexual people with terrorists. Per DR, he said Islamist flags, the Pride flag and the EU flag are all flags that divide, and that they should not be hung up in public space. He said he wants a flag that unites Danes, and that this flag is Dannebrog.
He also said he supports the safety of homosexual people. Zimmermann told DR that he has both family members and friends who are homosexual, and that he hopes everyone taking part in Pride has a good and safe celebration. At the same time, he criticized the organization Copenhagen Pride for not accommodating all political views.
That criticism of the organization is his stated reason for arguing that the rainbow flag should not be flown in public space. Rainbow flags have been visible in streets across Copenhagen during the festival week, as noted in DR’s reporting. The debate over whether Denmark is an LGBTQ friendly country has featured in Danish politics before.
DR is so far the only outlet to have reported on this specific exchange between Zimmermann and Halsboe-Jørgensen. No statement from the Ministry for Gender Equality has been published on the matter beyond the minister’s comments to DR. Copenhagen Pride continues until August 16.
Zimmermann remains a sitting member of the Folketing for Dansk Folkeparti. Halsboe-Jørgensen said the last thing needed now is for a member of parliament to fan the flames.
