Far-right Demonstrations Shut Down in Copenhagen after Danish Police Find Grenade

An object resembling a hand grenade was found in the Nørrebro neighborhood of Copenhagen on Tuesday morning, leading police to shut down the far-right demonstrations planned for later that day.

Danish police cordoned off the area at Blågårds Plads on Sunday after a member of the public called in a tip about a possible hand grenade. Photo courtesy of: Philip Davali/Ritzau Scanpix

A member of the public tipped off Copenhagen police. The police assembled the EOD, the bomb disposal unit of the Danish military, who swept the area and confirmed the neighborhood safe on Tuesday morning.

The object is now being investigated by local police. The location of the supposed grenade was also the site of a demonstration that occurred Sunday evening, when a far-right agitator by the name of Rasmus Paludan, attempted to burn a Quran in public.

Paludan has a history with police for breaking Denmark’s anti-racism laws, and was carried off by officers on Sunday evening. Soon after, his crowd of supporters grew rowdy and began antagonizing police. Several people were arrested.

Paludan had planned another demonstration for Tuesday but once the grenade was found, Copenhagen police withdrew permission for the protest to be held.

A tweet from the Copenhagen police justified the cancellation of the protest due to concerns for public safety.

“Our assessment is that (such) a demonstration would present a threat to public peace,” the tweet read.

A follow up statement issued by police also included a ban on demonstrations by Rasmus Paludan until April 23rd. The ban remain in effect and only lifted “as soon as there is no longer a risk to public order.”