Copenhagen police detain, charge pro-Palestinian protesters for blocking enterance to parliament

By Ebad Ahmed

PRAGUE, Czech Republic (AA) – The Copenhagen police on Wednesday detained and charged a total of 27 pro-Palestinian protesters for blocking the entrance to the Danish Parliament - Christiansborg Palace, the state news broadcaster confirmed.

The demonstrators sat in front of the entrance to protest the Danish state’s military assistance to Israel. The protest came against the backdrop of the confirmation by Defense Minister Toels Lund Poulsen that Denmark sent F35 aircraft spare parts to Israel in March on the request from the United States.

The police said on X that the arrests were made after negotiations failed between the authorities and the protesters to clear the stairs. The protesters have been charged with violating the public order.

The anti-war protesters clapped and shouted "arms embargo here and now."

"We have tried in many ways to enter into a dialogue with the government and tell them that it is not okay, so now we have to scale up and once again show that there are a lot of us who are against it. Our only demand is a full stop to arms trade with Israel," said Birk Skjalholt, spokesperson for the Palestine Square coalition.

Meanwhile, the Copenhagen Municipality last week decided to divest from commercial ventures linked to the illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.

The finance section of the city government took the decision after a vote of 9 to 2 in favor of cutting the investments. The Social Democrats, Red-Green Alliance and Social Liberals voted in favor, with the Conservatives and Liberal Alliance voting against.

The Copenhagen Municipality will now sell investments in companies including Airbnb, Expedia Group and Booking.com owner Booking Holdings. The companies are included on a UN list of businesses with links to Israeli settlements on territories such as the West Bank.