In an unexpected turn of events, the planned speech by the leader of the Danish People’s Party (Dansk Folkeparti), Morten Messerschmidt, in Fælledparken was canceled at the last minute. The event, which was supposed to take place during the Danish Social Democratic Youth’s (Dansk Socialdemokratisk Ungdom) May 1st celebration, was halted due to security concerns. The Danish Security and Intelligence Service (Politiets Efterretningstjeneste – PET) could not guarantee Messerschmidt’s safety, leading to the decision to cancel his appearance.
Messerschmidt had been invited to deliver a so-called “roasting speech,” a tradition where a center-right politician humorously criticizes the Social Democrats. These speeches are a regular part of the DSU’s May 1st program, but this year things took a different turn. According to DSU’s national secretary, Signe Kaulberg Jespersen, there was unrest shortly before Messerschmidt was supposed to take the stage. “A group of people in black clothing, some masked and carrying megaphones, entered the tent. This created a very uneasy atmosphere, and we assumed they were members of Antifascistisk Aktion,” she explains.
The Danish People’s Party and DSU believe that this group of demonstrators posed a security risk to Messerschmidt. Despite being disappointed by the cancellation, Messerschmidt chose to look on the bright side. “I had been looking forward to repeating the success from two years ago, but instead, I enjoyed the day with a bottle of white wine,” he shares. The situation was handled by the police, who arrived to ensure peace and order. After a brief period, the demonstrators left the tent, and the event continued without further disruptions.
This incident highlights the challenges that political events can face when security cannot be guaranteed. It raises questions about how best to protect both speakers and audiences during similar events in the future.