Activists in Denmark boycotted the U.S. Embassy's annual Pride Month celebration over President Trump's LGBTI-rights record.
U.S. Ambassador to Denmark Carla Sands hosted the reception at her official residence in Copenhagen on Aug. 15. Outlets such as The Washington Blade indicated the organization behind Copenhagen Pride Week and LGBT Denmark announced they would not attend.
Windy City Times asked LGBT Denmark for confirmation of the boycott. Below is the statement from LGBT Denmark Chair Peder Holk Svendsen:
"Yes' we were one of the organizations that officially declined the invitation.
"LGBT Denmark is the oldest LGBT+-rights organization in Denmark, and we found it difficult to combine our presence at the ambassador's residence in celebration of a Pride that the Trump administration obviously does not support.
"In the year where we our selves celebrate our organizations 70th anniversary and our continued fight for LGBT+ rights both at home and abroad it would seem inappropriate for us to attend an official event hosted by what is the closest to a White House presence in Denmark and any toasts made by Ambassador Sands would sound hollow.
"The claim that Sands send out in Politiken ( which can be compared to the New York Times in Danish standards ) following the reception—that the aim of the current administration is solely to protect and enhance the human rights of the LGBT+ community in the [United States]—can, from our perspective, only be deemed 'fake news' [from] the Trump administration.
"Our fight for the rights of LGBT+ persons in Denmark can only be done if its done in solidarity with our American rainbow siblings."
—Andrew Davis
