Ayee Macaraig
June 23rd, 2020

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Pia Kjærsgaard would prefer a sausage over a kebab at football games (photo: Brandsen)

Former Dansk Folkeparti (DF) leader Pia Kjærsgaard turned on her heel in Parliament on Monday to rebut statements that there is racism in Denmark.

Kjærsgaard was about to leave the hall but turned around when she heard Enhedslisten leader Pernille Skipper say in a speech that racism in Denmark was real and must be addressed.

In response, the outspoken Kjærsgaard took the podium and said: “To say that there is racism in Denmark is offensive. Does anyone cross a border? Yes. But racism? No.”

Skin colour
Known for her staunch anti-immigration views, Kjærsgaard added that she does not think it is racist for people with Arabic sounding names to have a harder time getting a job than others. 

Skipper said in a rejoinder that she and Kjærsgaard do not understand brown people’s experience of discrimination in society where the odds are stacked against them.

The MP added that her party would meet with DF to discuss proposals to jointly combat racism.

Parties to social media: Remove sexual content with kids in 24 hours
Political parties are pushing for a law that will impose a 24-hour deadline for social media companies to remove sexual material featuring children or nude photos shared without consent. SF, Venstre and Dansk Folkeparti want legislation to protect children and victims: preferably hefty fines if the illegal content is not removed within the deadline. The parties are looking at similar laws passed in Germany and France. Advocates say the immediate removal of such content is essential before the material “spreads like wildfire” online and ends up on porn websites.

Nature project offers birdwatchers rare waders
Birdwatchers are in for a summer treat in Tønder Marsh where rare waders (shorebirds) can be spotted thanks to a project that ensures optimal conditions for their growth. The project, which began in 2017, aims to attract birds to the marsh in southern Jutland, which is included on UNESCO’s World Heritage List and known as one of the best birding sites in Denmark. Visitors can expect large flocks of birds dancing in the sky. For an overview of the best viewing towers, birdwatchers can visit udinaturen.dk. The project is financed by the Wadden Sea National Park and EU grants.

Butterfly collapse as fewer species seen in Denmark
Denmark is suffering from a so-called butterfly collapse this year. Compared to 2016-2019, there have been fewer sightings of at least 52 out of 60 most commonly seen species. Naturhistorisk Museum Aarhus has expressed concern about the decline. A biologist at the museum, Morten DD Hansen, called the development “depressing”, attributing the decline to the lack of rain over the past three years and the loss of nature. He urged the government to create more and larger nature parks to address the problem. “We lose something that is just beautiful – some beauty in nature,” he said.

Disney+ gets Danish premiere in September
Netflix will face further competition in Denmark when Disney+ launches on September 15. The streaming service will offer Disney films such as ‘Frozen’ and superhero movies from Marvel. It will also stream productions from companies under the Disney umbrella, such as the Star Wars movies. A subscription will cost 59 kroner per month, which is much cheaper than Netflix (79-129 kroner). Along with Denmark, Disney+ is also simultaneously launching in Portugal, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, Belgium and Luxembourg.