Protests erupt in Denmark over Vance's visit to Greenland
Protesters gather in front of the US consulate during a demonstration, under the slogan, "Greenland belongs to the Greenlandic people," in Nuuk, Greenland, on March 15, 2025.
Hundreds of demonstrators in Denmark's capital Copenhagen and the city of Aarhus voiced strong opposition on Saturday to recent remarks and actions by the US administration regarding Greenland.
The demonstration took place a day after US Vice President JD Vance and an American delegation visited Pituffik Space Base in northwest Greenland — formerly known as Thule Base — where Vance criticized Denmark for not doing enough for security in the Arctic or for the well-being of the Greenlandic people.
Prominent Danish political figure Mogens Lykketoft, former foreign minister and former president of the United Nations General Assembly, addressed the crowd in Copenhagen, calling for solidarity.
"We must fight our case at the UN, where it is certain that an overwhelming majority of countries will join in condemning American aggression against Greenland, and then we must appeal directly for support from the 70 percent of Americans who are against conquering Greenland," he said.
"We must never give up," he added. His remarks drew loud applause from the crowd, who responded in Greenlandic and Danish with chants affirming that "Greenland is not for sale."
In Aarhus, Denmark's second-largest city, demonstrators also gathered in the city center to protest US actions and voice support for Greenland's autonomy.
Greenland, once a Danish colony, became an integral part of the Kingdom of Denmark in 1953. It was granted home rule in 1979, expanding its autonomy, though Denmark retains control over foreign affairs and defense.
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