Hundreds rallied in Copenhagen and Aarhus on Saturday, protesting U.S. Vice President JD Vance's remarks during a visit to Greenland's Pituffik Space Base. Demonstrators condemned Washington's criticism of Denmark's Arctic policies and voiced support for Greenland's autonomy, chanting “Greenland is not for sale” in local languages.
Former UN General Assembly President Mogens Lykketoft addressed crowds, urging international action against “American aggression” and emphasizing grassroots opposition to U.S. geopolitical posturing. “We must fight our case at the UN,” he declared, sparking cheers from protesters holding Greenlandic flags.
The tensions followed Vance's rebuke of Denmark's Arctic security efforts and concerns about living conditions in Greenland, which gained self-governance in 1979 while remaining under Denmark's foreign policy umbrella. Analysts suggest the visit reignited debates about resource-rich Greenland's strategic role amid growing Arctic competition.
