Danish News in Brief: Hate crimes up big time in Copenhagen 

Elsewhere, Peter Madsen’s submarine is destroyed, China gets a Randers while CPH Airport and Christian Eriksen hit historic landmarks 

A new report from the state police Rigspolitiet shows that the number of hate crimes against sexual and religious minorities in Copenhagen has risen sharply recently. 

The report showed that there were 101 reports of hate crimes in the Danish capital in 2017, up from 60 in the previous year. And it’s not just a trend occurring just in Denmark.  

“There are more people being subjected to hate crimes and we see a similar increase in the western world,” Brian Arly Jacobsen, an associate professor of religion sociology at the University of Copenhagen, told DR Nyheder. 

“The public debate surrounding minority groups has hardened and the line for what you can say has shifted to the point where people verbally, and in some cases physically, abuse others.”  

Jacobsen said that a better focus on minorities and education would help curb the number of hate crimes being committed. 

CPH Airport rounds 30 million
Copenhagen Airport reached a historic landmark this month after surpassing the 30 million passenger landmark for the year. Since opening in 1925, the airport has seen over 800 million passengers pass through and the airport expects the upward trajectory to continue. In 1946, following WWII, 233,000 passengers passed through the airport and figures have grown ever since to 1.8 million in 1960 and then to 16.8 million in 1998.  

China to get its own Randers 
China may well get an exact copy of the city square in the Danish city of Randers in the near future following news that the project is close to being approved. Two cities in the Shanghai area are negotiating about the rights to move forward and the Chinese contractor, Andersen Paradise, is set to build a detailed copy of the centre area of the Jutland city, from the old city hall to Randers Rainforest building. The construction is expected to be completed by 2020. 

Fewer burglaries over Christmas 
The state police Rigspolitiet has revealed that there has been far fewer burglaries so far this Christmas period compared to previous years. Between December 20-23, there were 282 reports of break-ins, well down from the 328 reported last year and the lowest figure in five years. Police maintain that people are more aware of what to do to keep a watch on their own homes and their local areas in general. Funen had the biggest share of burglaries, while Bornholm didn’t have any. 

Denmark’s most famous crime scene destroyed 
The ‘UC3 Nautilus’ submarine which belonged to convicted murderer Peter Madsen and which set the scene for the grizzly killing of Swedish journalist Kim Wall last year, has been cut up and destroyed by the police. The police said that the scrapping of the submarine is standard procedure. Madsen is currently serving a life in prison sentence for the murder of Wall, which took place on the UC3 Nautilus while on a trip off the coast of Copenhagen. 

FCN the most youthful in Europe
The Danish football team FC Nordsjælland has the youngest team in Europe, according to new figures from the CIES Football Observatory. The stats showed that FCN fielded an average age of 21.56 for the first half of the season, followed by Croatian side Rudar (22.46) and Dutch outfit Groningen (22.78), while three Turkish teams had the oldest sides (all over 30). SønderjyskE had the oldest average age in Denmark with 28.22, followed by Hobro (27.38) and FC Copenhagen (27.05). 

Premier League marks reached and breached
Danish midfielder Christian Eriksen tied two Premier League marks with his goal for Tottenham against Bournemouth yesterday. He drew even with Jan Mølby as the most scoring Dane in league history with his 44th goal in 188 appearances – the Liverpool legend scored just as many in 219 matches. He also tied the record for most goals scored from outside the penalty area with 18 – a mark he shares with Philippe Coutinho. Elsewhere, a record five Danes started a Premier League match recently when Huddersfield hosted Southampton. Jonas Lössl, Philip Billing and Mathias Jørgensen started for Huddersfield in their 1-3 loss at home, while Pierre Emile Højbjerg and Jannik Vestergaard started for the Saints. 

Danish designer succumbs to cancer
The noted Danish designer Camilla Skovgaard passed away on December 20 from cervical cancer, aged just 45. Referred to as the Arne Jacobsen of shoe design, Skovgaard was well known across the world for her women’s design. Skovgaard’s funeral will take place tomorrow at Lyngby Kirke Church at 13:00 and anyone is welcome to attend. 

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