Denmark

The Danish National Police engage in regular dialogue on hate crimes with a number of relevant civil society groups, including the Muslim Council, the Jewish Community in Denmark, LGBT+ Denmark, and Disabled Peoples' Organisations Denmark. The dialogue between police and civil society was initiated to establish closer and ongoing co-operation with civil society and to gather input on future efforts of the police in this area. The dialogue also aims to encourage victims to report hate crimes to the police and identify any difficulties or barriers they face when doing so. The Danish National Police also maintains a close dialogue with the Jewish Community’s “Department for Mapping and Registering Anti-Semitic Incidents” (AKVAH) following the 7 October 2023 Hamas terror attack on Israel. The dialogue contributes to the efforts of establishing a national overview of anti-Semitic hate crimes and incidents in Denmark. In 2024, the Danish National Police also reached out to the community of people from Greenland in Denmark and ActionAid Denmark.

The Director of Public Prosecutions has developed guidelines for the Danish police and prosecutors concerning the handling of hate crime cases, including relevant case law on the characterization of these offences. The guidelines intend to ensure transparency and a uniform practice by the police and prosecution as to the application of Section 266 b and 81 (6).

The Danish Prosecution Service has a strong focus on the prosecution of hate crimes. The Director of Public Prosecutions has produced an overview of judgments in which the court has increased the sentence according to section 81, para. 6 of the Criminal Code. The overview was published on the Public Prosecutions Service’s website in February 2024 and is regularly updated with new cases where the court has identified a motive of hatred. Prosecutors and defense attorneys can use the overview for case preparation. The intention of the initiative is, inter alia, to improve the prosecution service’s handling of hate crime cases.

In 2024, the Danish government and all parties in the Danish Parliament agreed on 12 new initiatives to combat anti-Semitism and hate crimes in general. These include mapping anti-Semitism on social media, enhanced monitoring of anti-Semitism on tech platforms, developing educational materials, and establishing a 'National Coordinator for Combating Antisemitism within the Danish National Police', as well as co-ordinators in the Copenhagen Police District. The initiatives also included new legislation allowing courts to increase punishments for hate crimes for a limited time period nationwide or in designated areas. The legislation was implemented in March 2025.