Greenlanders and their supporters are planning large demonstrations across Denmark and in Nuuk to protest U.S. President Donald Trump’s stated designs to take over Greenland and his warning that he “may put a tariff” on countries that oppose the plan.
Marches and rallies organized by Greenlandic associations are scheduled in Copenhagen, Aarhus, Aalborg and Odense, as well as in the Greenlandic capital. Organizers say thousands have indicated on social media they intend to participate, with demonstrators planning to carry Greenlandic flags and converge on U.S. diplomatic sites.
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In Copenhagen, the rally is set to begin at noon local time (11 a.m. Irish time) and will pause outside the U.S. Embassy about an hour later. Participants are also expected to march to the U.S. Consulate. Parallel actions in cities across Denmark aim to deliver a common message against any attempt to alter Greenland’s political status without the consent of its people.
“The aim is to send a clear and unified message of respect for Greenland’s democracy and fundamental human rights,” Uagut, an association of Greenlanders in Denmark, said on its website. Uagut is coordinating the protests alongside the citizens’ movement “Hands Off Greenland” and Inuit, an umbrella group of Greenlandic associations.
Julie Rademacher, Uagut’s chairwoman, urged calm and unity as pressure on Greenland and its diaspora intensifies. “Recent events have put Greenland and Greenlanders in both Greenland and Denmark under pressure,” she said in a statement, calling for people to “stand together” rather than allow tensions to sow new divisions.
The demonstrations follow Trump’s comment that he “may put a tariff” on countries that oppose his plans for the Arctic island, which is an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark. His statement has sharpened anxiety in Greenland, where leaders have repeatedly asserted the right to self-determination and control over the island’s future.
Organizers say turnout pledges have been brisk both in Denmark and in Greenland. On the event’s Facebook page, at least 900 people in Greenland said they plan to participate — a notable figure in a territory of roughly 57,000 people.
“With this demonstration, we want to show that we are taking action, that we stand together and that we support our politicians, diplomats and partners,” organizer Kristian Johansen said. Fellow organizer Avijaja Rosing-Olsen added: “We demand respect for our country’s right to self-determination and for us as a people. We demand respect for international law and international legal principles. This is not only our struggle, it is a struggle that concerns the entire world.”
The timing is deliberate. The actions coincide with a visit to Copenhagen by a bipartisan delegation of U.S. politicians, putting Greenland’s status and the broader Arctic agenda on a high-profile diplomatic stage. Earlier this week, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen and Greenlandic Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt appeared before the media in the United States, underscoring the elevated attention on the issue.
Public opinion in Greenland appears firmly against any handover. A poll published in January 2025 found that 85% of respondents opposed the territory joining the United States, with just 6% in favor. The numbers mirror longstanding sentiment in the island’s politics, where autonomy and the gradual assumption of more self-rule have been central themes for years.
As demonstrators gather with placards and red-and-white Erfalasorput flags, organizers say the message will remain consistent across cities: the island’s future belongs to Greenlanders, and decisions about sovereignty must be made according to democratic norms and international law — not external pressure.
By Abdiwahab Ahmed
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
