PET stops poet Yahya Hassan’s speech

Citing “safety concerns”, security police cancelled poets appearance

Poet Yahya Hassan was prevented from speaking yesterday at an event in support of the civilian population in Gaza. National security police PET prevented the poet from speaking at Copenhagen’s City Hall Square yesterday, due to what the policing agency called “general security” concerns.  

Hassan was scheduled to speak in support of the civilian population of Gaza, which is currently caught in the middle of a conflict between Israel and Hamas.

Vibeke Vinther, head of the humanitarian organisation Mellemfolkeligt Samvirke, which was one of the sponsors of Hassan’s speech, said that PET pulled the plug based solely on the poet’s notoriety. 

“It had nothing to do with the security at the event,” Vinther told Politiken. “It was a general assessment based on how many people may have turned up.”

READ MORE: Yahya Hassan attacked in Palestine

PET declined to comment on specific security measures it may have employed.

Hassan’s name is on a list of five Danes whose life has been specifically threatened.

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