BFF-06 Demonstration against virus law draw hundreds in Denmark

252

ZCZC

BFF-06

HEALTH-VIRUS-DENMARK

Demonstration against virus law draw hundreds in Denmark

COPENHAGEN, March 28, 2021 (BSS/AFP) – Hundreds gathered in central
Copenhagen on Saturday to protest against a controversial virus law and
Denmark’s plan to create so called “corona passports”.

Marching through the streets, the crowd of mostly younger people, lit
fireworks during a march which an AFP correspondent at the scene described as
mostly peaceful.

Police told the Ekstrabladet newspaper that some 600 people had gathered
and one person was arrested for throwing firecrackers towards police
officers.

Organised by Danish anti-restriction group “Men in Black,” the main issue
for the protesters was a new provision to the penal code that calls for a
doubled sentence for a crime that “has a background in or is connected to the
Covid-19 epidemic”.

The first severe application of that law happened in mid-March, when a
Danish court convicted a 30-year-old woman for statements and actions that
contributed to a “gross disturbance of public order as well as the use of
violence against police,” at a January protest — organised by the same
group.

Her one-year prison sentence was converted to two years. The Saturday march
stopped outside the prison where she is being held, with cries of “Free
Nanna” outside the building which was heavily guarded by police vans.

The demonstrators, most dressed in all black, shouted “Freedom for Denmark”
and “Mette Ciao” — a reference to Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen — as
they made their way to a square in front of Copenhagen’s city hall.

In addition to the doubling of sentences the protesters also object to the
creation of “corona passports” — a smartphone app which will be used to
certify that someone has received a Covid-19 vaccine, tested negative within
the last 72 hours or has recently recovered from Covid-19, conferring
immunity to the disease.

Denmark’s government has said the “corona passports” are a crucial part of
the country’s plan to reopen, but critics argue they will create a division
in society.

The Scandinavian country has been under a partial lockdown since late
December.

Primary schools reopened in February and secondary school student are due
to return to classrooms in early April.

Most shops were allowed to reopen earlier this month.

However some businesses, including hairdressers, bars and restaurants,
remain closed.

BSS/AFP/MSY/0920 hrs