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Denmark releases three suspected over burning of PM effigy

The Danish high court on Monday released from custody three men who are suspected of making threats in a case relating to an effigy of Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen that was hung up during anti-lockdown protests.

Published: 22 March 2021 15:33 CET
Denmark releases three suspected over burning of PM effigy
An effigy of PM Mette Frederiksen -- with the words 'she can and must be culled' -- burns in Copenhagen in January. Photo: Mads Claus Rasmussen/Ritzau Scanpix

A lawyer for one of the men, Ulrik Sjølin, confirmed their release to news wire Ritzau.

The three men have been detained in custody since January 24th and 25th, and their eight-week detention was a factor in the decision to release them.

READ ALSO: Denmark detains third man over burning of prime minister effigy

After a city court in Frederiksberg approved their release on Friday, the higher court upheld that decision following an appeal from the prosecutor.

The three men are suspected of making threats after an effigy of Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen was hung from a lamp post and burned during protests against coronavirus restrictions in January.

The effigy, on which a picture of Frederiksen’s face was affixed along with a sign bearing the words “she must and shall be culled”, was set on fire during protests in which around 1,000 people took part. The words are ostensibly in reference to the prime minister’s management of the outbreak of mutated coronavirus in mink in November 2020.

Police have not yet clarified who set fire to the effigy.

In addition to being suspected of making threats, the three men are also under suspicion under Danish law’s paragraph 113, which protects against attacks on the government and can give up to 16 years in prison. It is the milder misdemeanour – making threats – for which they were remanded in custody.

They could also be punished under an amendment which provides for harsher punishments for certain crimes committed in relation to the coronavirus pandemic.

The three have admitted to hanging the effigy from a lamppost during the January disturbances in Copenhagen but denied setting it alight.

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COVID-19

Public Health Agency recommends two Covid doses next year for elderly

Sweden's Public Health Agency is recommending that those above the age of 80 should receive two doses of a Covid-19 vaccine a year, once in the spring and once in the autumn, as it shifts towards a longer-term strategy for the virus.

Published: 23 December 2022 10:53 CET
Public Health Agency recommends two Covid doses next year for elderly

In a new recommendation, the agency said that those living in elderly care centres, and those above the age of 80 should from March 1st receive two vaccinations a year, with a six month gap between doses. 

“Elderly people develop a somewhat worse immune defence after vaccination and immunity wanes faster than among young and healthy people,” the agency said. “That means that elderly people have a greater need of booster doses than younger ones. The Swedish Public Health Agency considers, based on the current knowledge, that it will be important even going into the future to have booster doses for the elderly and people in risk groups.” 

READ ALSO: 

People between the ages of 65 and 79 years old and young people with risk factors, such as obesity, diabetes, poor kidney function or high blood pressure, are recommended to take one additional dose per year.

The new vaccination recommendation, which will start to apply from March 1st next year, is only for 2023, Johanna Rubin, the investigator in the agency’s vaccination programme unit, explained. 

She said too much was still unclear about how long protection from vaccination lasted to institute a permanent programme.

“This recommendation applies to 2023. There is not really an abundance of data on how long protection lasts after a booster dose, of course, but this is what we can say for now,” she told the TT newswire. 

It was likely, however, that elderly people would end up being given an annual dose to protect them from any new variants, as has long been the case with influenza.

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