Anti-Denmark Boycott

The Anti-Denmark Boycott is an on-going boycott of Danish goods and services following the Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy, and the Danish Government's response.

Brief overview of controversy

Main article: Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy

In September 2005 a Danish newspaper, the Jyllands-Posten published a series of cartoons which depicted the Muslim prophet Muhammad despite knowing of their offensiveness to some Muslims, in an attempt to cease self-censorship in the Danish press on matters regarding Islam and Muslims.

Having received petitions from Danish imams, eleven Islamic ambassadors asked for a meeting with Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen in 12 October 2005, in order to discuss what they perceive as an "on-going smearing campaign in Danish public circles and media against Islam and Muslims".

The government answered the ambassadors' request for a meeting with Rasmussen with a letter only, because it apparently interpreted the letter as asking Rasmussen to take legal steps against the newspaper, and the government did not see this as an acceptable basis for a meeting: "The freedom of expression has a wide scope and the Danish governments has no means of influencing the press. However, Danish legislation prohibits acts or expressions of blasphemous or discriminatory nature. The offended party my bring such acts or expressions to court, and it is for the courts to decide in individual cases."

Boycott

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"To our dear customers: As a result of mockery towards The Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him), Al Tamimi Markets announces its boycott of all kinds of Danish Products"

While many Muslims and supporters took part in protests throughout the world, many more took part in one of the single biggest consumer led boycotts of all time. Consumers, especially Arab nations, began a process of boycotting all Danish goods. This was then followed by the governments of Iran and Saudi Arabia issuing boycotts and restrictions on Consumer products imported from Denmark.

The biggest single loser of the Boycott was a Danish company called Arla. Arla, Denmark's biggest exporter to the Middle East, has been losing 10 million kroner (1.6 million dollars, 1.3 million euros) per day since its products were taken off the shelves in several, and has had to temporarily lay off 125 workers. In response, Arla began to sell its product without its brand name being present and in large containers. Other companies have replaced their "Made in Denmark" label with a "Made in the EU" label. Others still have used foreign subsidiaries to camouflage the origin of Danish production, according to the Confederation of Danish Industries’ (DI).

The Boycott continued, despite hopes that it was a temporary dispute which would quickly blow over. The pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk said that it had lost a 200-million-kroner insulin contract in Turkey blaming the ongoing controversy. Jyske Bank has estimated that the cost of the boycott to the Danish economy could total 7.5 billion kroner.

Ayman al-Zawahiri of Al Qaeda have urged all Muslims to boycott, not only Denmark but also Norway, France, Germany and all others that have "insulted the Prophet Mohammed" by printing cartoons depicting him. (abc.net)

See also

• Support Denmark Movement
• Freedom of speech