Islam in EuropeCopenhagen’s bar owners ask government to prevent local Muslims from imposing “Sharia zone”
Bar owners in the Nørrebro suburb of Copenhagen say they are being harassed by Muslim youth activists in the area, many of them immigrants, who are trying to impose a “Sharia zone” in the neighborhood. The bar owners have asked for government help. The bar owners say they have received demands for money, and that stones have been thrown through the bars’ windows.
Bar owners in the Nørrebro suburb of Copenhagen say they are being harassed by Muslim youth activists in the area, many of them immigrants, who are trying to impose a “Sharia zone” in the neighborhood.
The bar owners have asked for government help.
The bar owners say they have received demands for money, and that stones have been thrown through the bars’ windows.
“Recently some young men came into the bar and shouted that all guests should leave,” Heidi Dyrnesli from Cafe Heimdal told Radio24syv.
“They shouted that the site belongs to them and that Norrebro is a Sharia zone, so there is no drinking alcohol.”
RT reports that the bar owners charge that so far, the local police have failed to intervene, and that this is why they were calling on the government to take action.
Minister for Integration Inger Stoejberg to visit the neighborhood on Wednesday. Denmark’s BT tabloid reported that Stoejberg spoke with local youths. Muslim community leaders accused her of coming to the neighborhood in an effort to gain support for the government’s anti-immigration policies.
Stoejberg replied that the community leaders should have helped to tackle the youths: “There is a group of young people here who do not behave properly, and we have powerless tavern owners. If you are resourceful, I think you should help with that and can help solve the problem so people in Nørrebro can live a normal life.”
Two young Muslim women were detained by police after shouting “fascist” and “Nazi” at the minister. Danish laws ban insults against public officials, so the two women are facing fines or short prison terms.
Stoejberg used her Facebook page to addressed the youths: “You live, and live in the greatest country in the world. Opportunities are right in front of you. So stop your rampage, threats and yelling!” Stoejberg wrote on Facebook.
“No I can guarantee you that it is not [a Sharia zone] and will never be! And you’re kinda pretty lucky that this is not a Sharia zone, as you get a fair trial when the police get a hold of you.”
The anti-immigrant Danish People’s Party emerged from last year’s elections as the second-largest in Denmark, and used its position in the coalition to introduce several anti-immigrant measures.
Stoejberg is a member of the governing center-right Venstre party.
