Mohammad Rona, Vice Chairman of the Moderates (Moderaterne) and a current member of the Danish Parliament (Folketinget), was denied entry to a nightclub in Aalborg last night. Rona expressed significant disappointment and anger regarding the incident, which he believes was influenced by his skin color.

According to Rona, he was with two friends—one white and one of a different ethnicity—when they were stopped at the entrance of Café Stygge. “We were three guys, one white and two brown, and we were just turned away immediately. I was pretty disappointed and furious. I just thought, ‘this is a joke,’” Rona stated. He found it striking that, as the only individuals of color in line, they were escorted away while other guests were allowed in without any issue.

“We asked why, and they replied that there was no reason, we just couldn’t come in tonight. To be honest, I thought it was embarrassing. I certainly didn’t expect to be denied entry in 2024,” Rona continued. He interprets the refusal as unjust and problematic, particularly since they were not given a clear explanation.

Prior to attempting to enter the nightclub, Rona and his friends had attended a concert. They arrived at Café Stygge around 1 AM but were turned away. Rona also noted that an employee at the venue waved dismissively at them during the refusal, which upset and frustrated his friend.

Café Stygge has been contacted for a comment but has not responded before the deadline. This incident is not the first time discriminatory practices in nightlife have come under scrutiny. A report from the Danish Institute for Human Rights (Institut for Menneskerettigheder) released last year indicated that one in four minority Danes and one in two minority men aged 18 to 34 experience being denied entry to places where others are granted access, particularly in nightlife settings.

In previous efforts to combat discrimination, the Socialist People’s Party (SF) and the Social Liberal Party (Radikale Venstre) proposed amendments to the restaurant law that could lead to the loss of alcohol licenses for repeated discriminatory actions. However, these proposals were rejected by the government in 2022.

Now that Rona has personally experienced discrimination, he is considering supporting a reconsideration of these proposals. “I’m actually not against it being a solution, but I am unsure whether it could impact the good venues. However, I am open to the idea that if there are nightclubs or bars that continue to behave poorly, their alcohol license should be at risk,” Rona stated.