By grabbed torches and demonstrated against possible racist vandalism

By grabbing torches, they demonstrated against possible racist vandalism

Three business owners with immigrant backgrounds have experienced vandalism in the South Jutland town of Rødding.

The provincial town lit up as locals demonstrated against vandalism on the town's shops.

By

Niklas Møller Jørgensen ( [email protected] ) 24 minutes ago

With a raised voice, Kasper Hofer Østergaard welcomes the people who have chosen to spend Sunday evening demonstrating alongside him.

"How happy we are that so many are braving the rain and wind to come here and speak out against vandalism and racism."

He is co-organizer of the demonstration, which has been named 'Rødding against racism'. It was put together after three of the town's business owners with immigrant backgrounds recently experienced vandalism.

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> I am deeply grateful to see so many people. I say a thousand thanks.

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"I am very, very moved that there are so many who, like us, are outraged and saddened. And who wish to show support and sympathy for these dear fellow citizens," says Kasper Hofer Østergaard, when the conversation turns to the turnout on Sunday evening.

Locals of all ages joined the torchlight procession in Rødding on Sunday evening. (Photo: © Niklas Møller Jørgensen, DR)

He had printed 50 sheets of paper with songs to be sung during the torchlight procession in the South Jutland town in Vejen Municipality. That is not nearly enough. Many of those present had to grab their phones and find the lyrics online.

One of them is Jeppe Thøgersen. He sings 'Frit Land' by Ulige Numre together with his seven-year-old son and wife.

Wearing a burgundy beanie, Jeppe Thøgersen joins in the community singing:

"I showed up to support this good initiative," says the father, when they have finished singing, and adds:

"So we can speak out against what has happened here in town over the past few days."

Jeppe Thøgersen, like many of the other attendees DR spoke with, has no doubt that the vandalism incidents are racially motivated.

"All the people who have been affected have a different ethnic background than Danish, so I think it is reasonable to believe that there is a racist motive."

This text was applied to Torino Pizza & Grill in Rødding on the night leading into Friday. (Photo: © Abdurrahman Darwiche, DR)

On Sunday, DR reached out to the South and South Jutland Police to investigate whether the police also view the vandalism in Rødding as racist. DR is still waiting for an answer.

Could you not have waited for the police to announce whether it is racially motivated vandalism or not?

"I don't know the police's tactics for saying whether something is racist or not. I can at least say that what was written on the wall at the pizzeria was racist. There is no doubt about that. It said: 'Perkers out of DK'. I think that is very, very ugly," says co-organizer of the demonstration against racism, Kasper Hofer Østergaard.

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> All the people who have been affected have a different ethnic background

> than Danish, so I think it is reasonable to believe that there is a racist

> motive.

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The affected business owners also joined the torchlight procession. Before they said thank you for the evening in the town square, they each received a basket that the shops in Rødding had filled with goods. But it is not the basket of cookies and other treats that makes the biggest impression on Ibrahim Saadi, who sells used cars in Rødding and has been hit by vandalism.

"It warms my heart very, very much to see so many who have shown up," he says, and promises pizza to everyone on his tab:

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