A newly formed vegan activist group named Amager imod slagtere (“Amager Against Butchers”) is stirring controversy in Copenhagen‘s Amager district with its declared mission: to shut down every butcher shop on the island. Using megaphones, provocative slogans, and direct accusations against customers, the group has already held multiple demonstrations and shows no signs of backing down.
Activists denounce meat consumption as violence
“If you don’t want to be accused of taking part in murder, then stop eating other beings’ body parts,” declared Maria, a spokesperson for the group, during a protest in front of Slagterens Smørrebrød og Delikatesse on Islands Brygge. The demonstrators used signs bearing messages like “Luk dødsbutikken” (“Close the death shop”) and “Amager imod slagtere” while shouting slogans equating meat consumption to murder.
The language used by the activists has drawn strong reactions from locals and business owners. Sandie Ring, co-owner of the targeted butcher shop, described the scene as “frightening and unpleasant,” noting that demonstrators openly shamed customers exiting the shop. Her husband, Rune Lykke Ring, added: “They called it body parts and murder, and asked how one could live with oneself eating that.”
Butchers respond with calm and coffee
Despite the confrontational tone, some butchers are choosing a diplomatic approach. Emil Thiele Larsen, owner of Slagter & Mad on Holmbladsgade, the next target of the group’s demonstrations, stated: “They are welcome, but we hope they behave properly.” He even offered to serve them coffee, although he warned customers about a potentially tense atmosphere.
Still, the impact on business is palpable. “It’s not fun asking customers to stay away, but I do it out of respect for them,” Larsen said in an interview with DR.
Political reactions and concerns about extremism
The demonstrations have attracted attention beyond Amager. Politicians such as Pia Kjærsgaard from the Danish People’s Party (Dansk Folkeparti) and Jan E. Jørgensen from the Liberal Party (Venstre) have publicly condemned the activists. Kjærsgaard went as far as posting on social media: “Ill-mannered brats must not be allowed to ruin these wonderful people’s lives – period!”
Some butcher shops have even been victims of vandalism, adding to the tension between activists and shop owners.
Experts skeptical about long-term impact
According to Johan Gøtzsche-Astrup, a researcher in social movements at Aarhus University, the group is part of a broader trend in anti-meat activism. However, he remains doubtful about the strategy’s effectiveness. “The protest might increase awareness, but isolated actions like this are unlikely to convince people to stop eating meat,” he explained.
He also highlighted a potential backlash effect: while some might be discouraged from buying meat, others could be provoked into deliberately supporting butcher shops as a form of resistance.
What’s next for Amager imod slagtere?
So far, Amager imod slagtere has only announced demonstrations in front of select shops, but Maria hinted that more are on the way: “Most activists fighting for justice don’t stop just because there’s a little resistance.”
The group’s campaign marks one of the most visible and radical anti-meat movements in Denmark in recent years, placing animal welfare, consumer rights, and freedom of speech at the center of a heated urban debate.
As protests continue, the residents of Amager—and Denmark more broadly—must now grapple with complex questions about activism, ethics, and the role of food in society.
