I would like everyone to note before reading this, that the attacks in Copenhagen the 14th and 15th of February are a very sensitive issue. I wish to offend no one with what I say, I only wish to give insight on what happened as a resident of Denmark. This post has been written with lots of thought and has been given much time.
It is important, to first discuss the events. Last Saturday, Copenhagen was faced with the tragedy of an alleged terrorist attack. A man first targeted a cafe, where a free speech discussion panel was being held. He used an automatic weapon, and a 55 year old Danish filmmaker was killed. The discussion was held by a Swedish cartoonist, who has offended many people by drawing religiously offensive cartoons. This cartoonist believes he was the target and has since gone into hiding. The man, then at 1 am targeted a Jewish synagogue where he shot and killed a Jewish security guard who was working at a Bat Mitzvah. The suspect was killed in Norrebro train station that same early morning.
Although it is mostly assumed that this attack is a terrorist attack, the motives of this shooting are very complicated. It's important for one to realize that although there is evidence that this suspect may have been motivated by radical religion, he was also a person with a very troubled past who may have not felt fully accepted by the society he lived and grew up in. This gives no excuse to his actions, it just shows that he may have been motivated by more than one reason to act in which the manner he did.
As I discussed with my bible study, the city of Copenhagen and Denmark as a country handled this tragedy well. The government did not panic, and didn't force the city into any type of lockdown. Instead, they at first treated the original shooting as a murder and strengthened the security forces around the city. It definitely was a different Copenhagen Saturday night, seeing multiple armed policemen patrolling København H. For a short time, this city did not feel like the safe, carefree city that I knew it to be. But by strengthening the security while allowing citizens to still roams shows anybody who wants to harm the city that Copenhagen will not bow in fear to terrorism or any threat to their freedom of speech. That said, one of the biggest incorrect assumptions is that Copenhagen and Denmark as a country are not considered safe anymore. This is not true. Copenhagen is still very safe to walk around, and a terrorist attack cannot change the kindness and generosity from the majority of Danes.
It was odd, because the first time I heard of the murder, I was baking with my host sisters at my grandmother's house. The news first described it as a murder, without jumping to the conclusion that it was a terrorist attack. This prevented people from overly panicking or freaking out. When it was later confirmed as a terrorist attack, our Prime Minister said only because it was politically motivated. I think it well stated, to not immediately assume it was a terrorist attack, as that can send many into panic and assuming the worst. Instead, we actually continued daily life which I think is the most important because then you show that you cannot make a country fear for their freedom of speech.
Many people assume that my fear now is that there will be more violence in the peaceful city of Copenhagen - but that is not my fear. My biggest fear is how people will now treat and view the Muslim community around me. I live and go to school in a community that has a large number of Muslims, but I don't think that they should be labeled by their religion. Instead, Denmark as a nation needs to stand together for the things we believe in - such as freedom of speech and freedom of religion. By uniting as a nation, we show that Denmark does not bow to terrorism of any kind, but instead are united in the freedoms we believe in.
It is important, to first discuss the events. Last Saturday, Copenhagen was faced with the tragedy of an alleged terrorist attack. A man first targeted a cafe, where a free speech discussion panel was being held. He used an automatic weapon, and a 55 year old Danish filmmaker was killed. The discussion was held by a Swedish cartoonist, who has offended many people by drawing religiously offensive cartoons. This cartoonist believes he was the target and has since gone into hiding. The man, then at 1 am targeted a Jewish synagogue where he shot and killed a Jewish security guard who was working at a Bat Mitzvah. The suspect was killed in Norrebro train station that same early morning.
Although it is mostly assumed that this attack is a terrorist attack, the motives of this shooting are very complicated. It's important for one to realize that although there is evidence that this suspect may have been motivated by radical religion, he was also a person with a very troubled past who may have not felt fully accepted by the society he lived and grew up in. This gives no excuse to his actions, it just shows that he may have been motivated by more than one reason to act in which the manner he did.
As I discussed with my bible study, the city of Copenhagen and Denmark as a country handled this tragedy well. The government did not panic, and didn't force the city into any type of lockdown. Instead, they at first treated the original shooting as a murder and strengthened the security forces around the city. It definitely was a different Copenhagen Saturday night, seeing multiple armed policemen patrolling København H. For a short time, this city did not feel like the safe, carefree city that I knew it to be. But by strengthening the security while allowing citizens to still roams shows anybody who wants to harm the city that Copenhagen will not bow in fear to terrorism or any threat to their freedom of speech. That said, one of the biggest incorrect assumptions is that Copenhagen and Denmark as a country are not considered safe anymore. This is not true. Copenhagen is still very safe to walk around, and a terrorist attack cannot change the kindness and generosity from the majority of Danes.
It was odd, because the first time I heard of the murder, I was baking with my host sisters at my grandmother's house. The news first described it as a murder, without jumping to the conclusion that it was a terrorist attack. This prevented people from overly panicking or freaking out. When it was later confirmed as a terrorist attack, our Prime Minister said only because it was politically motivated. I think it well stated, to not immediately assume it was a terrorist attack, as that can send many into panic and assuming the worst. Instead, we actually continued daily life which I think is the most important because then you show that you cannot make a country fear for their freedom of speech.
Many people assume that my fear now is that there will be more violence in the peaceful city of Copenhagen - but that is not my fear. My biggest fear is how people will now treat and view the Muslim community around me. I live and go to school in a community that has a large number of Muslims, but I don't think that they should be labeled by their religion. Instead, Denmark as a nation needs to stand together for the things we believe in - such as freedom of speech and freedom of religion. By uniting as a nation, we show that Denmark does not bow to terrorism of any kind, but instead are united in the freedoms we believe in.