Police attempt to diffuse tensions as Muslims, neo-Nazis, and anti-racists voice opinions about Mohammed drawings
No Korans or other Islamic symbols were burnt in Copenhagen on Saturday as a counter-reaction to Muslim demonstrations against Denmark during the past week, said Copenhagen Police.
The police made their statement after the Danish embassy in Damascus had been sacked and burnt to the ground as rumours of the opposite spread.
'We would like to make this very clear: There has not been any defilement or burning of religious icons such as the Koran, flags, or other items,' said Copenhagen Police Department spokesman Flemming Steen Munch.
Throughout the day, police forces patrolled streets in number and sought to prevent confrontations as Muslim, nationalist, and leftist groups planned demonstrations.
While demonstrations in the Nørrebro and Frederiksberg districts were peacefully conducted, one protest in the city of Hillerød, 30 km north of Copenhagen, resulted in 162 arrests, said police inspector Mogens Lauridsen.
About 30 members of the nationalist group, Danish Front, organised the Hillerød protest in response to what it considered 'Muslim aggression'. Leftist political groups organised a counter-demonstration and were joined by a number of people with an immigrant background.
Police officers armed with tear gas and batons struggled to maintain distance between the antagonistic groups.
'We feel it's best that people be allowed to express their opinions separated,' said police spokesman Flemming Munch.
The groups yelled slogans at each other for about two hours in sub-zero temperatures, but no physical confrontation took place. As the leftist political groups headed back to the train station, however, they began throwing bottles and other projectiles at police.
Police arrested about 110 leftists, as well as about 50 people with an immigrant background.
'It was a nearly impossible task to keep the three groups separated,' said police inspector Mogens Lauridsen. 'It seemed as if it didn't have too much to do with the drawings in Jyllands-Posten. It seemed as if people just wanted to cause a ruckus. It's a shame.'
http://www.cphpost.dk/get/93769.html
...Police arrested about 110 leftists, as well as about 50 people with an immigrant background.
Irish? German? Chinese? Belgian? What are they trying to say? < /sarcasm>
Just out of curiosity, are the "neo-Nazis" in favor of the cartoons or against them?
setting placemark
Police arrested about 110 leftists, as well as about 50 people with an immigrant background.