Pro-Palestine student protesters disrupt talk by Danish foreign minister at Copenhagen University

By Ebad Ahmed

PRAGUE, Czech Republic (AA) - Pro-Palestine student demonstrators have disrupted a speech by Denmark's Foreign Minister at the University of Copenhagen, chanting for a cease-fire in Gaza and raising a Palestinian flag, the country's public broadcaster reported.

While speaking at the university Tuesday about upcoming European elections and world politics, Lars Lokke Rasmussen was met by the protesters, with hands painted red, accusing the Danish government of complicity in the genocide taking place in Gaza, according to DR.

Aleksandra Milanovic, one of the demonstrators who had gathered under the Students Against the Occupation collective, told DR: "We choose to do it this way because we had the opportunity to communicate directly to a foreign minister who has now done nothing for eight months."

Rasmussen maintained that the situation is "more than usually complex," adding, "We must not turn our backs on the Israelis, even though we are currently highly critical of the policies that the Israeli government is currently pursuing."

On X, the University of Copenhagen expressed its regret over the protest. "This is not how our university should be. Dialogue, curiosity, and respect are necessary, especially when deep disagreement is the starting point, the post reads," it said.

Israel has launched a brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip since Oct. 7 following a Hamas attack, killing more than 36,170 people and injuring around 81,400 others.

Nearly eight months into the Israeli war, vast swathes of Gaza lay in ruins amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water, and medicine.

Israel stands accused of “genocide” at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which in its latest ruling has ordered Tel Aviv to immediately halt its operation in Rafah, where over a million Palestinians had sought refuge from the war before it was invaded on May 6.