A peace treaty was struck between rival gangs in Nørrebro on Tuesday during a ceremony facilitated by the Islamic association Viomis, Radio24Syv reported.
Viomis’ spokesperson Alexander Chebil said that the deal between the Nørrebro gangs from Blågårds Plads and Mjølnerparken was a significant step to end the violence that has plagued the district.
“The deal has been underway for over a year,” Chebil told Radio24Syv. “It means that people from Blågårds Plads can go to Mjølnerparken and vice versa without having to fear anything. It’s a very important deal that is supported by more than the two gangs. Members of the gang communities in Kokkedal, Tingbjerg, and Sjælør were also present.”
According to Politiken newspaper, high-ranking members of both gangs – including the notorious ‘Store A’ from the Blågårds Plads gang and ‘jaja’ from the Mjølnerparken gang – were present. Politiken reported that despite the strife between their respective gangs, the leaders are on good terms after serving prison sentences together.
A preliminary deal was made earlier in the month and consolidated at a meeting last Friday. On Monday, members of the gangs took the floor and shook hands as a public declaration of the peace deal.
The gang war broke out in 2008 and was compounded by a power vacuum that emerged after the biker gang Hells Angels left Nørrebro. Further conflict was created due to the associations between some of the immigrant gangs and the biker gang Bandidos, who are rivals of the Hells Angels.
Radio24Syv host and sociologist Aydin Soei explained that the presence of high-ranking gang members added weight to the deal.
“It is a groundbreaking deal that marks a big step on the way to peace for the capital. When so many high profile figures dictate a peace deal, it will be kept,” Soei said, adding that there were some small groups still connected to the biker gangs who did not respect the deal.
Gangs in Nørrebro are known for blackmailing businesses such as Café Viking on Ægirsgade in Nørrebro, where windows were smashed when the pub's owner, 'Mama' Jane Pedersen, refused to cave-in to a demand to pay protection money.
Her plight was given international recognition by the BBC after she went public with her story. A 19-year-old gang member was arrested by police last month in connection with the extortion attempt.
