Copenhagen Police used force to remove demonstrators who had blocked Classensgade in the Danish capital, while two opposing marches were held nearby on Flag Day.
People taking part in an unannounced demonstration blocked Classensgade in central Copenhagen on Saturday. According to DR, Copenhagen Police announced on the service Politi Update that officers removed the group by force.
Police said the demonstrators had been given several orders to leave the road before they were removed. Images from the scene showed officers drawing batons during clashes with demonstrators.
Police stated it was unclear exactly who had blocked the street. Officers had earlier said they were present at several demonstrations across Copenhagen that day.
The Copenhagen Post reported that the road block took place during an unannounced demonstration in Østerbro and slowed traffic. The same report noted that police did not know at the time who was behind the blockade.
Two announced marches in Østerbro
Separately, demonstrators from opposite ends of the political spectrum took to the streets of Copenhagen. Both of those demonstrations were registered with the authorities and began at 12 p.m.
The group Det Danske Folk organized a “March for Danmark,” which gathered at Trianglen in Østerbro. According to the organizers, the march said no to Islamization, sharia, religious extremism, political violence and totalitarian ideologies. Several participants were dressed in the Danish flag.
Fællesinitiativet mod Racisme arranged an anti-racist counter demonstration at Dag Hammarskjölds Allé. That location lies a few hundred meters from Trianglen, where the other march started.
Berlingske reported on September 3 that the two opposing demonstrations were set to take place in Østerbro at the same time. The outlet identified one of them as the “March for Danmark.”
The demonstrations coincided with the national Flag Day for Denmark’s deployed personnel. Flag Day was marked at events in several places around the country.
Copenhagen Police did not say how many people were removed from Classensgade. No information was released about arrests or charges in connection with the blockade.
