In a series of revelations, it has emerged that Pelle Dragsted, political spokesperson for the Red-Green Alliance, has a past filled with political activism and confrontations with the law. Before entering the political scene, Dragsted was active in both autonomous circles and in the violent left-wing extremist group Antifascistisk Aktion. Dragsted’s past includes participating in demonstrations and actions that often resulted in violent clashes with the police. He has been arrested at least five times and served a month in prison for politically motivated vandalism. These events took place in the early 2000s, where he was involved in an action against the fence at the Sandholm Asylum Center. In 1998, he was outside a bank in Nørrebro, where Pia Kjærsgaard sought refuge after an attack. Dragsted joined in shouting slogans, an action he now distances himself from. “Even though it was many years ago, I am ashamed of it and embarrassed,” he says, emphasizing that he did not engage in anything illegal that day. Over the years, Dragsted has distanced himself from his former lifestyle and the criminal acts he was part of. He expresses hope that there are no more undisclosed sides of his past that will come to light. However, this past has not prevented Dragsted from becoming a prominent figure in Danish politics, where he now works to promote the Red-Green Alliance’s political agenda. His story illustrates a man who has undergone a significant personal and political transformation.

Read the danish version here