Danish govt to toughen anti-semitism penalties

Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard, along with various ministers, met with Danish Parliament parties to discuss the current action plan against anti-Semitism, which is considered inadequate in light of recent events. The government intends to introduce new measures in spring to address the resurgence of anti-Semitic incidents in Denmark, which the Jewish Community of Denmark links to an increase following the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7 last year. These incidents have spiked by 1244%, from 9 in 2022 to 121 in 2023. The initiatives are expected to include stricter penalties for anti-Semitic events, threats, harassment, hate speech, and violence against Jewish citizens. While precise details are not yet disclosed, Hummelgaard emphasized the need to make it easier for authorities to prove a crime has been committed.