The Copenhagen City Council has voted in favor of renaming a public space "Palestine Square," with 29 out of 55 members supporting the decision. The new name is set to take effect on April 1.
The new square will be situated in the Nørrebro neighborhood of northern Copenhagen, at the intersection of Nørrebrogade, Esromgade, and Hillerødgade.
The proposal was first brought forward in August of 2023 and was backed by members of The Red-Green Alliance (Enhedslisten), The Social Liberal Party (Radikale Venstre), The Socialist People's Party (SF), and The Alternative (Alternativet). An official decision scheduled for October 9, 2023, was postponed in the wake of Hamas' October 7 massacre in Israel.
According to Danish news site DR, thousands of emails were sent to Copenhagen city councillors on Wednesday, urging them to reject the proposal.
The emails stressed that "public squares should unite, not divide," arguing that the name would be a painful reminder for Jews of the October 7 massacre and other attacks by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), Hamas, and Islamic Jihad.
Danish-Palestinian Arab groups welcomed the decision, viewing it as "a testament to the strong ties between Denmark and Palestine," according to the Palestinian Authority’s official news agency, WAFA.
"They expressed that the renaming signifies Denmark's solidarity with the Palestinian cause, reaffirming the country's stance in support of Palestinian rights and its quest for freedom and independence. Members of the City Council also expressed pride in the decision, emphasizing that it represents the Danish people's support for the Palestinian struggle and their right to establish an independent state," WAFA reported.
(Israel National News' North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Israel National News articles, however, is Israeli time.)