Last night cars and barricades were set alight across the country - in at least ten different cities young immigrants set cars and barricades alight. About fifteen people have been arrested and charged with arson.

Police and media are attributing the unrest to "boredom" and saying an isolated incident of a forceful arrest incited the riots. According to both immigrants and anti-racist activists the spreading unrest is the result of long-running racism and repression from the police. In Copenhagen it is common practice for police to search people and cars based only on skin pigmentation.

The incident that has been cited several times as the proverbial drop in the cup has been confirmed several places. A 65 year old immigrant man was beaten severely by police during a car search. Bystanders including kids down to the age of 13 who tried to help the man or simply film the event were also severely beaten.

The left radical involvement in the unrest has steadily increased after immigrants explained the cause of the riots to a Monday meeting and asked for assistance in resisting the repression.

Last night four activists were arrested for stone throwing and tonight a larger mobilisation will be taking place under the slogan "No justice! No peace! No racist police!"

The style of the riots is very new to Denmark; groups of people moving about setting fires, focusing on mobility instead of directly confronting the police. Police spokesmen in different parts of the country have already expressed concern that the force won't be able to withstand continued pressure on this scale for long.


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