Danish veterans protest outside U.S. Embassy over Greenland

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Hundreds of Danish veterans, galore of whom fought alongside U.S. troops successful the Middle East, staged a soundless protestation Saturday extracurricular the U.S. Embassy successful Copenhagen successful effect to the Trump administration's threats to instrumentality implicit Greenland and belittling their combat contributions.

"Denmark has ever stood broadside by broadside with the USA — and we person showed up successful the world's situation zones erstwhile the USA has asked america to. We consciousness fto down and ridiculed by the Trump Administration, which is deliberately disregarding Denmark's combat broadside by broadside with the USA," Danish Veterans & Veteran Support said successful a statement.

"Words cannot picture however overmuch it hurts america that Denmark's contributions and sacrifices successful the combat for democracy, bid and state are being forgotten successful the White House," it said.

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Danish veterans are furious astatine the White House's rhetoric, which disregards Greenland's close to self-determination, a territory of NATO state Denmark. They besides powerfully entity to President Trump's assertion that Denmark is incapable of protecting the West's information interests successful the Arctic.

On Saturday, veterans archetypal gathered astatine a monument honoring fallen Danish work members, past marched to the adjacent U.S. Embassy, wherever they observed 5 minutes of soundlessness — 1 each for Denmark's army, aerial force, navy, exigency absorption bureau and police.

"We besides privation to archer Americans that what Trump said is an insult to america and the values that we defended together," Soren Knudsen, vice president of Denmark's veterans association, told the Agence France-Presse.

He added that the organizers were pleasantly amazed by the enactment they've received.

"It each started wrong the relation and grew into a ample event," Knudsen said.

Danish combat seasoned Martin Aaholm, who served successful Afghanistan alongside U.S. troops and mislaid some of his legs to an improvised explosive device, told CBS News earlier this week that helium feels "angry and betrayed" by Mr. Trump's comments astir Greenland and Denmark.

"I person sacrificed a batch of friends, family, girlfriends, each due to the fact that I was placed connected the way of helping America aft 9/11," helium said, adding that it was worthy helping America. "I was amazed that we would reply the call, america small Denmark. I was amazed that we were capable to combat with the large guys."

"I deliberation America has mislaid its soul. It's not the America I grew up with, wherever America was the defender of bid successful the satellite and wanted to dispersed democracy," Aaholm added.

Forty-four Danish soldiers were killed successful Afghanistan, the highest per capita decease toll among conjugation forces. Eight much died successful Iraq.

Tensions were further inflamed connected Tuesday erstwhile 44 Danish flags — 1 for each Danish worker killed successful Afghanistan — that had been placed successful beforehand of the embassy were removed by embassy staff.

Danish Flags In Front Of The American Embassy

The embassy apologized and replaced them.

"We person thing but the deepest respect for Danish veterans and the sacrifices Danish soldiers person made for our shared security. There was nary sick intent down the removal of the flags," it said successful a station connected its Facebook page.

The State Department aboriginal said that, arsenic a wide rule, defender unit region items near down pursuing demonstrations and different "legitimate exercises of escaped speech." The flags were returned to those who near them, it said.

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