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Today in Denmark: a roundup of the news on Friday

Ritzau/The Local
Ritzau/The Local - [email protected]
Today in Denmark: a roundup of the news on Friday
Herlufsholm School, founded in 1565, must answer for a culture of violence among students described in a new documentary by TV2. Photo: Mads Claus Rasmussen/Ritzau Scanpix

Weekend weather, protections for exploited Ukrainian refugees, and scandal at a prominent Danish school are among the news stories in Denmark on Friday.

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Accusations of violence rock prestigious Danish school 

A TV2 documentary that premiered yesterday has deeply shaken the reputation of Herlufsholm, a boarding school where the children of many of the Danish elite attend — including the heir to the throne. 

The documentary describes a culture of unmitigated bullying and violence, alongside allegations of sexual assault. Representatives for Herlufsholm deny the accusations, although their website says an independent investigation has already begun. 

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Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary released a statement decrying the conditions at Herlufsholm as "completely unacceptable." 

Prince Christian, 16, is completing his first year as a boarding student at Herlufsholm, while Princess Isabella, 15, was slated to start next term. 

Exploitation of Ukrainian refugees could carry additional punishment 

In response to cases of Ukrainian refugees being exploited in Denmark, Norway and Sweden, Danish politicians are mulling heightened punishments for people who take advantage of them. 

"There is a great risk that they end up in jobs where they risk being exploited because they do not understand the language, their rights, or where they can seek help if they are exposed to something that is abusive," Karina Lorentzen Dehnhardt, legal spokesperson for Socialistisk Folkeparti (Socialist People's Party, SF), told Danish newswire Ritzau. 

Dehnhardt proposes that exploiting war refugees should be considered an aggravating factor in sentencing, leading to harsher punishments. The text of the proposal highlights refugees exploited for "work or prostitution, pornographic recordings, etc. under blatantly unreasonable conditions," Ritzau reports. 

READ ALSO: Ukrainians in Denmark could soon move into underprivileged housing areas 

Weekend weather 

Expect temperatures between 12 and 17 degrees for the first weekend in May, according to the Danish Meteorological Institute. 

There's a possibility for scattered showers on Friday evening and Saturday, but don't let it dampen your plans — we're looking at maybe "half a millimeter of rain" Friday night and largely clear skies on Saturday, the DMI's Anna Christianson told Ritzau.  

Sunday will stay dry with some sun and a welcome reprieve from the Danish wind.

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