Danes March For And Against Muslims
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Courtesy of: Agence France-Presse
Saturday 04 February 2006
http://www.afp.com

Danes on the far-left and extreme-right have taken to the streets, adding a political dimension to a blistering row over cartoons of Prophet Mohammad first published in a Danish newspaper.

Both far-left and extreme-right marches took place in Hilleroed, 30km northeast of Copenhagen.

The left-wing marchers, many of them clad in black and bearing banners urging people to
"crush the nazis," were protesting against an anti-Muslim march by the extreme-right Danish Front.

Daniel Savi, a local secretary of the youth wing of the Socialist People's Party, which organised the left-wing march, told AFP:

"We say no to the racist and ignorant Danish Front demonstration against Muslims in Denmark and the World."

Some were also concerned by the escalation of the cartoon affair and the offence Muslims feel the drawings have caused.

Helle Mortensen, a 17-year-old protestor, said:

"This affair has gone much too far and it's clearly the fault of the Danish government."

"Freedom of expression does not mean hurting others."

Many stores had removed their shop window display after police had warned that the left-wing demonstrations could include "troublemakers" but there was no violence beyond an occassional call of "nazi pig" addressed to the far-right marchers who were clearly outnumbered by their rivals.