1 dead in shooting at Copenhagen free speech event

[george]

Police: 1 dead in shooting at Copenhagen free speech event
JAN M. OLSEN, Associated Press


COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — A gunman fired on a cafe in Copenhagen as it hosted a free speech event Saturday, killing one man, Danish police said. The event was organized by Swedish artist Lars Vilks, who has faced numerous threats for caricaturing the Prophet Muhammad.

Danish police said the gunman shot through the windows of the Krudttoenden cafe, which the TV2 news channel said were riddled with some 30 bullet holes. Helle Merete Brix, one of the event's organizers, told The Associated Press that Vilks was at the meeting but was not hit.

"I saw a masked man running past," Brix said. "I clearly consider this as an attack on Lars Vilks."

Police were looking for the perpetrators, who they said drove away in a dark Volkswagen Polo after the shooting, which took place shortly before 4 p.m. (1500 GMT, 10 a.m. EST).

In a statement, Danish police said the victim was a 40-year-old man inside the cafe attending the event. He has not yet been identified.

Police spokesman Henrik Blandebjerg said three police colleagues at the event were also shot.

"I heard someone firing with an automatic weapons and someone shouting. Police returned the fire and I hid behind the bar. I felt surreal, like in a movie," Niels Ivar Larsen, one of the speakers at the event, told the TV2 channel.

Brix said she was ushered away with Vilks by one of the Danish police guards that he gets whenever he is in Denmark.

The cafe in northern Copenhagen, known for its jazz concerts, was hosting an event titled "Art, blasphemy and the freedom of expression" when the shots were fired.

François Zimeray, the French ambassador to Denmark who was at the conference, tweeted that he was "still alive."

Vilks, a 68-year-old Swedish artist, has faced several attempted attacks and death threats after he depicted the Prophet Muhammad as a dog in 2007.

A Pennsylvania woman last year got a 10-year prison term for a plot to kill Vilks. In 2010, two brothers tried to burn down his house in southern Sweden and were imprisoned for attempted arson.

After Islamic militants attacked the Charlie Hebdo satirical magazine in Paris last month, killing 12 people, Vilks told the AP that even fewer organizations were inviting him to give lectures over increased security concerns.

Vilks also said he thought Sweden's SAPO security service, which deploys bodyguards to protect him, would step up the security around him.

"This will create fear among people on a whole different level than we're used to," he said. "Charlie Hebdo was a small oasis. Not many dared do what they did."


-- (c) Associated Press 2015-02-14

Karl Ritter contributed from Stockholm.

[rabid old goat]

they carry guns in copenhagen!. the world has gone mad all over.

[baboon]

Doubtless a one off event with any religious connection being by the by as usual.

[NeverSure]

they carry guns in copenhagen!. the world has gone mad all over.

Who's "they"?

The OP mentions "automatic weapons" and "30 bullet holes in windows."

Islamic extremists (sounds like maybe that's it) are going to get guns no matter what country they are in. Three policemen were shot but unable to stop it even though they apparently were right there and shot back. Do you want to trust your life to police who are probably only armed with pistols? Usually police are some distance away but obviously even if they are right there they are no guarantee.

Where are you going to get your safety when there are people with no respect for life or laws who will get automatic weapons and riddle a peaceful gathering?

Your offhand comments aren't going to stop this. It's among us and all around us.

[rabid old goat]

,

they carry guns in copenhagen!. the world has gone mad all over.

Who's "they"?

The OP mentions "automatic weapons" and "30 bullet holes in windows."

Islamic extremists (sounds like maybe that's it) are going to get guns no matter what country they are in. Three policemen were shot but unable to stop it even though they apparently were right there and shot back. Do you want to trust your life to police who are probably only armed with pistols? Usually police are some distance away but obviously even if they are right there they are no guarantee.

Where are you going to get your safety when there are people with no respect for life or laws who will get automatic weapons and riddle a peaceful gathering?

Your offhand comments aren't going to stop this. It's among us and all around us.

yes dear, and who do we thank for that?

Edited February 14, 2015 by rabid old goat

[rabid old goat]

time to send all these bulletproof aholes to the south pole and let them shoot it out amongst themselves

[NeverSure]

,

they carry guns in copenhagen!. the world has gone mad all over.

Who's "they"?

The OP mentions "automatic weapons" and "30 bullet holes in windows."

Islamic extremists (sounds like maybe that's it) are going to get guns no matter what country they are in. Three policemen were shot but unable to stop it even though they apparently were right there and shot back. Do you want to trust your life to police who are probably only armed with pistols? Usually police are some distance away but obviously even if they are right there they are no guarantee.

Where are you going to get your safety when there are people with no respect for life or laws who will get automatic weapons and riddle a peaceful gathering?

Your offhand comments aren't going to stop this. It's among us and all around us.

yes dear, and who do we thank for that?

Whoever unloaded an automatic weapon into that gathering. Are you in the habit of blaming someone else for the acts of a criminal?

[MJP]

*Deleted Post edited out*

Nope. Even if you don't like guns, which I don't, NeverSure is well worth listening and taking to. He's a top bloke actually.

Edited February 14, 2015 by Scott

[hanno]

I think the West had better get used to this. The thought of all the foreign fighters in Syria, Iraq and Libya eventually going back to the countries they hail from is scary.

[Mosha]

BBC - "He (the masked man) shouted something in Arabic."

Breaking news. A shooting at a Synagogue in Copenhagen.

Edited February 15, 2015 by Mosha

[Lite Beer]

Denmark on edge as 2nd shooting within hours rocks capital
JAN M. OLSEN, Associated Press
KARL RITTER, Associated Press

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — A gunman opened fire on a Copenhagen cultural center, killing one man and wounding three police officers in what authorities called a terror attack against a free speech event featuring an artist who had caricatured the Prophet Muhammad.

After searching for the gunman for hours, police reported another shooting near a synagogue in downtown Copenhagen after midnight Sunday. One person was shot in the head and two police officers were shot in the arms and legs, police said, adding it wasn't clear whether the two incidents were linked. The gunman fled on foot, and police warned people to be vigilant and follow the instructions of officers flooding the city center.

The earlier shooting came a month after extremists killed 12 people at a satirical newspaper in Paris that had sparked Muslim outrage with its depictions of Muhammad.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the first shooting, which took place shortly before 4 p.m. on Saturday. Danish police said the gunman used an automatic weapon to shoot through the windows of the Krudttoenden cultural center, which TV footage showed were riddled with bullet holes. The gunman then fled in a carjacked Volkswagen Polo that was found later a few kilometers (miles) away, police said.

They said the victim was a man about 40 who was inside the cultural center. He has not yet been identified. Two of the wounded officers belonged to the Danish security service PET, which said the circumstances surrounding the shooting "indicate that we are talking about a terror attack."

Lars Vilks, a Swedish artist who has faced numerous death threats for caricaturing the Prophet Muhammad, was one of the main speakers at Saturday's panel discussion, titled "Art, blasphemy and freedom of expression." He was whisked away by his bodyguards unharmed as the shooting began.

Vilks, 68, later told The Associated Press he believed he was the intended target of the shooting.

"What other motive could there be? It's possible it was inspired by Charlie Hebdo," he said, referring to the Jan. 7 attack by Islamic extremists on the French newspaper in Paris. He spoke from an undisclosed location for his own security.

-- © Associated Press 2015-02-15

[Credo]

Perhaps Denmark needs tighter gun control?

[bendejo]

If there's one thing this jihad is succeeding at it's building animosity toward themselves.

[klauskunkel]

BBC - "He (the masked man) shouted something in Arabic."

Breaking news. A shooting at a Synagogue in Copenhagen.

...wonder what that was...

[Mosha]

BBC - "He (the masked man) shouted something in Arabic."

Breaking news. A shooting at a Synagogue in Copenhagen.

...wonder what that was...

Happy Valentines Day?

[Paulc01]

I don't think this one is about an argument over a parking place.

[KhunMoo]

Perhaps Denmark needs tighter gun control?

It can hardly get tighter. It's quite hard to get the normal license, unless you are a hunter. And no privatepersons can own assault rifles.

If you are caught with a gun in public/or home, that is not licensed, you get arrested and receive a "quick sentence" of MINIMUM one year. ex. you don't see daylight, from you are arrested to the first time you are let out on leave. This also apply to people with a license, that is caught with extra unlicensed guns or guns that can not be licensed.

For knives, if the blade is 7cm or more and/or the blade can lock(yes, even a normal Leatherman is illegal) - you get MINIMUM 7 days on the spot.

This legislation, was put in place to try to stop the gang wars, that blazed through Copenhagen, between immigrant-gangs and bikers, mainly about hashish sales in central Copenhagen. Denmark normally has a very very low crime-rate, but with this gang war there has been a crazy amount of knife attacks/shootings/killings.

Btw. I'm streaming the 24h news live, at the moment - and no, Copenhagen(the citizens, that is) is not "on edge" Police has serious trouble getting people to leave the city center. I've seen a couple of violent arrests already, because people question the police's authority

[longstebe]

I'm sure like any other big city, buying a gun isn't really that difficult.

[Paulc01]

Perhaps Denmark needs tighter gun control?

Or better immigration control?

[spidermike007]

It takes incredibly small men, with hearts of stone, to perpetrate a crime like this. A small man, with an insecure heart, who has no spiritual understanding whatsoever, and simply follows blind indoctrination to commit an act of murdering strangers. Because they are perceived to have insulted your prophet? How boring. How trite. How dull. How ridiculous. If your beliefs are true, and real, it does not matter if there is a slight or perceived insult, as you fell comfortable enough with your beliefs, so that what people say is irrelevant. But these man child insects have no faith, no real beliefs, and no conviction of anything real. They are simply hateful fools, and their "beliefs" give them license to commit murder, rape, to sell sex slaves (ISIL), to abuse women, to kidnap, maim, steal, and live the life of a gangster. That is all they are, is gangsters.

[nelson bunker]

Islam has nothing to do with islam...

[daveAustin]

I think the West had better get used to this. The thought of all the foreign fighters in Syria, Iraq and Libya eventually going back to the countries they hail from is scary.

Nuke Middle East.

[daveAustin]

That is all they are, is gangsters.

... and pieces of shit.

[longstebe]

I think the West had better get used to this. The thought of all the foreign fighters in Syria, Iraq and Libya eventually going back to the countries they hail from is scary.

Nuke Middle East.

All of it?

Bit harsh really, dont you think?

[chooka]

Gotta love the way they spread the love, peace and tolerance. It's about time to take the white gloves off and fight islam by thier rules.

[Lite Beer]

RT @AP: BREAKING: Police say one of three shooting victims outside Copenhagen synagogue has died.

[Paulc01]

How soon before we start to get the feature stories from the press and muslim activists about fears of an "anti-muslim backlash?" They will make themselves into victims, while we probably will never hardly get mention of the real victims who died or were wounded.

[pedro01]

Let's not go all Islamophobic here.

Nothing at all to be worried about bearded AK47 wielding maniacs im dresses shouting "allahuh akbar".

This will turn out to be nothing more than a random incident of workplace violence.

[Grouse]

Poor Denmark, the nicest, happiest country in the world.

They let in, like other Scandinavian countries, too many of these rag head w**k**s, and have tried to absorb all the social ills that caused.

I think we've all had enough.

Time move against them all. no need to be uncivilised about. Just close the mosques, ban halal meat, ban headscarves and burkhas.

[harryfrompattaya]

I think the West had better get used to this. The thought of all the foreign fighters in Syria, Iraq and Libya eventually going back to the countries they hail from is scary.

The Problem can be solved let into 50 million Black Christians from Africa they take care of the Muslims

Europe can not solve the Muslims problem alone

Once again the smart Germans removed the wrong people