Danish Jewish Radio Station Temporarily Off Air After Attacks
February 17, 2015A Jewish radio station in Denmark has been forced to temporarily shut down its programming following the weekend’s attacks in Copenhagen, reports The Copenhagen Post.
It marked the first time in the station’s history that Radio Shalom did not broadcast its usual blend of programs about Jewish culture, music and history, the report noted.
The control board located in a basement in Nørrebro was silenced for what host Abraham Kopenhagen called “security reasons”.
“PET (the Danish Security and Intelligence Service -ed.) says it’s too dangerous,” Kopenhagen told local newspaper DR Nyheder. “We do not feel that it is too dangerous, but we respect the information we are given.”
Kopenhagen said that Radio Shalom will be back on the air when PET tells the team that it is safe. The security agency offered to protect the station while it was on air, but Kopenhagen said he turned them down.
“We must do as instructed, but we will not have police standing outside the door,” he was quoted as having said. “We would rather close down until it is quiet again. I do not know how long that will take.”
According to The Copenhagen Post, the radio station was not the only Jewish institution in Copenhagen that chose to shut its doors following the weekend’s attacks, which included the fatal shooting of 37-year-old security guard Dan Uzan outside the central synagogue in Copenhagen. The Jewish school Carolineskolen was also closed on Monday.
Omar El-Hussein, the suspected gunman behind the double shootings in Copenhagen who was shot dead on Sunday, was identified by Danish media as a 22-year-old with “a history of violent crime” – and who was released from prison just two weeks ago.
In his first attack, El-Hussein reportedly shot over 200 bullets into a café holding a conference on Islam and free speech, which featured several controversial speakers, including possible target and Mohammed cartoonist Lars Vilks.
One man, a 55-year-old identified by the media was documentary film maker Finn Norgaard was killed at the event; three policemen were injured. El-Hussein escaped in a black Volkswagen Polo.
Hours later, he shot at the synagogue during a Bat Mitzvah, killing Uzan and wounding two others before fleeing on foot.
Jews across Europe are fearful and calling for better protection in the wake of the Copenhagen attacks, noted The Copenhagen Post.
“There is much fear; people are afraid to go to synagogue,” Rabbi Menachem Margolin, head of the European Jewish Association, told DR Nyheder.
Rabbi Margolin received a death threat on Monday which was accompanied by large number of anti-Semitic curses and invectives.
Margolin, an outspoken critic of Europe’s handling of anti-Semitic attacks, was one of the first to condemn Saturday night’s shooting on a Copenhagen synagogue and to call on European countries to do more to protect Jews.
He told DR Nyheder he was “not surprised” by the Copenhagen attacks and wants all Jewish institutions in Europe to be given 24/7 police protection.
“We are disappointed that European governments still do not listen to our cries for help and ensure that all Jews are protected,” he said.
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They should have kept it on so that terrorist will know they are still strong. But I guess since they dont have much security or police then its a measure to take for safety.