All parties in the Danish Parliament have reached an agreement on a new deal aimed at improving the protection of Jews in Denmark. The agreement, presented by Minister of Justice Peter Hummelgaard (Social Democrats) at a press conference on Tuesday, includes 12 concrete initiatives focusing on increased penalties and education.
A central element of the agreement is the possibility of establishing zones with stricter penalties for hate crimes, including crimes with antisemitic motivations. Hummelgaard highlighted at the press conference that Europe is currently experiencing an “epidemic of antisemitism,” making it necessary to act now to ensure safety for the Jewish citizens in Denmark.
Minister for Children and Education Mattias Tesfaye (Social Democrats) also participated in the press conference and spoke about the importance of increasing young people’s understanding of Jewish culture and history. As part of the agreement, there will be improved opportunities for school visits to concentration camps so that young people can gain insight into the Holocaust and the horrors of World War II.
Additionally, ten million Danish kroner have been allocated for research into what the government describes as “the new antisemitism,” which includes hatred directed towards the state of Israel. Furthermore, better educational materials on antisemitism will be developed for use in schools.
The agreement comes in the wake of reports from the Jewish Community, which has observed an increase in antisemitic incidents since Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7th last year and the subsequent conflict with Israel’s bombardment of Gaza. The incidents include harassment, threats, and vandalism.
The government had long signaled that such an agreement was on the way, and now that it is in place, the hope is to ensure a higher level of security for Jews in Denmark.