At a diversity event in Copenhagen, Denmark, Jewish organizations were specifically told not to bring Israeli flags, while other cultural groups were given no such instructions and in fact brought flags.
While the event organizer had initially told the Jewish organizations that none of the groups would be bringing flags, after the event, they soon changed their story and claimed that certain groups were asked not to display flags as a safety precaution.
Like in many other places in Europe, anti-semitism is also a problem in Denmark. Last month alone, a representative of Magen David Adom was attacked by three Arab-looking men at the Copenhagen Central Station; a Jewish female employee at the disco Tempo was physically assaulted by a man of Palestinian descent who shouted anti-Semetic slogans at her; a Jewish woman with a male relative wearing a kippa had profanities yelled at them due to their ethnic origin; and three members of a Reform Jewish congregation in Copenhagen were verbally assaulted by three Arab looking men, according to the Coordination Forum for Countering Anti-Semitism.
However, not all anti-semitism within Denmark originates with Arabs. Also this year, Arutz Sheva reported that an article published in the Danish newspaper Politken described rabbis who circumcise babies as “black-clad men” that mutilate babies while they cry and bleed. Between 2001 and 2006, the Stephen Roth Institute for the Study of Anti-Semitism and Racism claimed that there was an average of 30 complaints of anti-semitism per year in Denmark.
Nevertheless, despite the prevalence of anti-Semitism within Denmark and Europe in general, Jewish organizations should never be asked to refrain from waving Israeli flags at a diversity event, while other cultural groups are not forbidden from doing so. Max Meyer of the Dansk Zionistforbund organization told the Post, “It is a shame that one group is discriminated against, especially at a diversity celebration.” Nevertheless, even Copenhagen’s Deputy Mayor Anna Mee Allerslev excused the discrimination against the Israeli flag based upon the security situation of the Jewish community within Denmark.
PLEASE E-MAIL COPENHAGEN’S MAYOR TO OBJECT TO SUCH BLATANT DISCRIMINATION!
E-mail: borgmester@bif.kk.dk
Model Letter:
Dear Deputy Mayor Anna Mee Allerslev,
As a member of the Jewish community, I am deeply disturbed that you stated, “We had some experts who were deeply concerned about the situation and were afraid that the security was not sufficient” to wave Israeli flags at an event celebrating diversity. To wave the flag of a given ethnicity at a diversity event is the democratic right of every minority group living within Denmark. If the security situation is not the best, then Denmark, as a democratic country, has the obligation to provide the security so that each and every ethnic group is able to wave their flag free of intimidation and threats. No ethnic group should ever be asked to not wave their flag while other groups are permitted to do so under the pretext of security. If Denmark wants to preserve her image as a democratic country that respects minority rights, then she should work to ensure that such incidents are not repeated.
Sincerely,
Your Name
Reported by Rachel Avraham
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