Aarhus Byråd

Byrådet (city council) sent amendment on antisemitism and islamophobia to udvalg (committee)

AI-written · beta

Document date: 23. september 2026
Section: City council
Status: Beta
Source: Aarhus Kommune meeting documents — Aarhus Byråd 23 September 2026 · item 4 (minutes + recommendation + memo + proposal + signed transcript + attachments) ↗

Summary

Aarhus Byråd forwarded on Wednesday, 23 September 2026, the administration's response to Radikale Venstre's proposal on efforts against discrimination, including antisemitism and islamophobia, together with an amendment from Enhedslistens de Rød-Grønnes and Radikale Venstres city council groups to the Social and Employment Committee. This means further processing of how the municipality shares information with faith communities moves to the committee — among other things ahead of discussions with the police on 28 September 2026.

Fra byrådets papirer

Forwarded with the amendment from Enhedslistens de Rød-Grønnes and Radikale Venstres city council groups to the Social and Employment Committee for processing pursuant to the decision at the city council meeting on 23 September 2026.

What this means for you

The case concerns safety around religious institutions after an attempted arson on the night of 26 May 2026 against the property on Nørre Allé, which among other things houses the Aarhus Islamisk Menighed mosque. The city council already adopted on 17 June 2026 a decision to firmly distance itself from the attack. The remaining points on mapping incidents and dialogue on safety are now back in political processing via the administration's recommendation and an amendment to be processed in the Social and Employment Committee. For religious minorities, this means the next concrete step is committee processing and a planned discussion of the threat picture with East Jutland Police.

Background

Radikale Venstre submitted on 10 June 2026 a decision proposal put forward by Metin Lindved Aydin (spokesperson) and Mahad Yussuf. The background was the attempted intentional arson at the mosque on Nørre Allé. The proposal asked the city council to firmly distance itself from the attack, have the municipality map the scope of incidents related to antisemitism and islamophobia, and request the Mayor's Department to hold dialogue with faith communities, civil society organisations and authorities on safety around religious institutions.

At the city council meeting on 17 June 2026, decision point 1 was adopted, while points 2 and 3 were sent to the Magistrat Department for Social Affairs and Employment for a recommendation. The recommendation of 2 September 2026 proposed that the city council take note of the administration's overall work with the target group; that the Social and Employment Committee discuss the threat picture in Aarhus, including the scope of incidents related to antisemitism and islamophobia, with the police on 28 September 2026; and that the municipality share relevant websites with information on prevention of radicalisation and discrimination with religious institutions and faith communities.

The magistrat (municipal executive) recommended on 15 September 2026 that the city council approve the recommendation. Radikale Venstre and Danmarksdemokraterne entered reservations. A memo was simultaneously ordered on current efforts regarding antisemitism and an assessment of whether there may be an increase in the national figures.

In the chamber on 23 September 2026, Enhedslisten and Radikale Venstre submitted an amendment to recommendation point 3. It would change the wording so Aarhus Kommune shares relevant websites with information on prevention of discrimination against religious minorities as well as an orientation on the city council's ongoing political processes regarding prevention of extremism and discrimination with relevant faith communities and institutions.

Figures and facts

On the night of 26 May 2026, a building on Nørre Allé, which among other things houses the Aarhus Islamisk Menighed mosque, was subjected to an attempted intentional arson. (Attachment — Attachment 1: Decision proposal RV 08.06.2026)
The city council adopted point 1 of the RV proposal on 17 June 2026; points 2 and 3 were sent to Social Affairs and Employment. (Attachment — Recommendation)
Infohus Aarhus reports that in 2025 and 2026 there have been two cases related to antisemitism and/or islamophobia — without that necessarily meaning antisemitism or islamophobia, but concern about developments in that area. (Attachment — Recommendation)
In the police report "Status on prevention of extremism in Danish municipalities" (figures from 2023-2024), antisemitism was a factor in 10 percent of cases handled in Infohuset; islamophobia was not mentioned as a concerning factor in any of the cases. (Attachment — Recommendation)
The Social and Employment Committee has scheduled a meeting with East Jutland Police on the threat picture on 28 September 2026. (Attachment — Recommendation)
The city council approved in October 2025 an emergency plan for municipal employees on radicalisation and extremism. (Attachment — Recommendation)

Who said what

Anna Thusgård (S) thanked Radikale Venstre for the proposal and the magistrat's recommendation. She found it good that Infohuset does not assess increased concern about antisemitism and islamophobia, but pointed to increased attention on other types of extremism, including fascination with meaningless violence on social media. Socialdemokratiet could approve the amendment as well as recommendation points 1 and 2.

Thomas Medom (SF) called the attempted arson against Den Islamiske Menighed a sad and serious reminder that safety cannot be taken for granted. SF read the amendment positively but wanted committee processing to become concrete on which websites and types of information should be shared.

Gert Bjerregaard (V) supported the recommendation and looked forward to the meeting on 28 September with East Jutland Police. Venstre also backed SF's wish for committee processing of the amendment.

Jeppe Ulrich Lomholt (EL) assessed that recommendation point 2 on mapping and discussion creates safety, while point 3 in Enhedslisten's view opens an inappropriate agenda: that religious institutions receive materials on prevention of radicalisation in direct response to a hate crime against Muslims. Therefore Enhedslisten and Radikale Venstre submitted the amendment.

In the magistrat on 15 September 2026, Radikale Venstre and Danmarksdemokraterne entered reservations against the recommendation to approve the recommendation.

What happens next

The case has been sent to the Social and Employment Committee together with the amendment. The committee must process how the municipality shares information with faith communities, and according to the recommendation discuss the threat picture in Aarhus — including the scope of incidents related to antisemitism and islamophobia — with the police on 28 September 2026. The case returns to political processing when the committee has finished.

Sources

Other attachments

Transcript

Transcript of the council debate with speakers named, from the official signed record.

Open in Transcripts →