Advertisement

'Report pizzerias where Danish isn’t spoken': integration minister

The Local Denmark
The Local Denmark - [email protected]
'Report pizzerias where Danish isn’t spoken': integration minister
Photo: Iris/Scanpix

Denmark’s integration minister Inger Støjberg says that citizens should contact authorities if they witness “many people walking around in the back, not speaking Danish at all” in pizzerias.

Advertisement

The minister, reacting to a report by TV2 on record numbers of illegal immigrants in Denmark, told the broadcaster that the public had a duty to help authorities track down undocumented migrants.

“I would actually encourage completely normal Danes to, when they are for example are at their local pizzeria and think that there is something weird going on in the back room because there are many people going around in there not speaking Danish at all, then contact the authorities, because it is utopic to believe that the police can get into every back room in Denmark,” she said.

READ ALSODanish minister sparks controversy with Facebook cake post to celebrate 50th immigration curb

Støjberg’s remarks came after TV2 reported that 1,348 individuals were charged with being in Denmark without permission last year – the highest total recorded to date.

“This is all about there being clarity over who is living in Denmark… So I actually think that we all have a duty to contact authorities if we see something suspicious,” she said.

READ ALSO: Danish Integration Minister Støjberg: I won’t repeat cake photo

Political opponents were quick to react to the minister’s comments, and they were also the subject of satire on social media.

The hashtag #anmeldenpizzabager, which plays on the Danish for “report a pizza baker” and “review a pizza baker” using the same phrase, began trending on Twitter, with users satirising Støjberg by writing spoof reviews of fast food pizza establishments.

MP Zenia Stampe of the opposition Social Liberal (Radikale Venstre) party wrote on Facebook that “social support has been drastically cut, so refugees must hurry up and find a job before they have learned Danish. But if they actually successfully find a job that does not require Danish skills - such as a pizza maker - they will be subjected to suspicion and being reported.”

READ ALSO: Danish government wants to turn away child refugees at the border

More

Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.

Please log in to leave a comment.

See Also