The association Danske Gymnasier called on Sunday for an end to outdoor freshman parties in parks, known as puttefester, after a fatal stabbing in Roskilde and a mass fight in Frederiksberg.
Avisen Danmark reports that the association, which represents Danish upper secondary schools, wants introductory activities held on school grounds and without alcohol. According to the outlet, chair Maja Bødtcher-Hansen said she would prefer that the large gatherings outside school did not take place at all.
The gatherings took place on Friday, August 15, in Søndermarken on Frederiksberg in Copenhagen and in Folkeparken in Roskilde. In Søndermarken, police responded to a report of a mass fight in which one person was injured, according to TV 2 Kosmopol, cited by Avisen Danmark. In Folkeparken, a 16-year-old boy was stabbed and died.
A boy of the same age has been arrested and charged with manslaughter, Avisen Danmark reports. Police believe the stabbing happened because of a conflict between the two boys.
Bødtcher-Hansen called it severe that several thousand young people gather and drink alcohol together. As reported by Avisen Danmark, she pointed to examples of fights and an unpleasant atmosphere at the events. Her preferred scenario is that new students build their communities around their own school and classmates.
She also said parents need to play a larger role. Per Avisen Danmark, she believes there is considerable pressure on young people to attend the parties, and that parents should know it is acceptable to say no. Most gymnasiums hold parent meetings during the first weeks of the school year, and she hopes those meetings can be used for that conversation.
Why the call comes now
BT reported the same core story and noted that the association’s criticism came in direct response to the incidents on Friday in Søndermarken and Roskilde. BT also repeated that the stabbing in Roskilde happened during a gymnasium freshman gathering.
Politiken covered the Roskilde stabbing as a puttefest-related event. The newspaper noted that several gymnasiums in the Copenhagen area have previously tried to drop the tradition, which it described as well known.
Earlier reporting by DR shows that Danske Gymnasier has warned about the parties before, and that the gatherings have drawn very large crowds in past years. That coverage predates the 2026 incidents and does not concern them.
Avisen Danmark notes that it is not the first time disturbances have been reported in connection with introductory parties held away from school premises. According to the outlet, Bødtcher-Hansen said the events in Roskilde and Søndermarken underline that action is needed.
