NEIGHBOURHOOD BRANDS ITSELF AS SAFE AFTER SHOOTING

Life must go on on the street Frederikssundsvej and its citizens get ready for another weekday.
[Photo @ Dominique Nash]

15th september 2022 by Dominique Nash

After the shooting of a 24-year-old on Monday 12th of September, Nørrebro tenants residents still remember the gang shooting four years ago. However, life must go on.

Norrebro is an international district and one out of five residents are either first or second generation immigrants.

The victim, a 24-year-old, was shot in a hookah lounge on Frederikssundsvej 25 around 20:47 on Monday night. Copenhagen Police have issued in their press statement, “the victim did not have any ties to gang-related activity.”

Software developer Morten Frank says living in Nørrebro nowadays is safe and normal. “If you were here, four years ago. Yeah, there were a lot of shooting and there was this gang war.”

Morten mentions the neighbourhood as “a great mix of immigrant stores and bakeries and with some fancy cafe’s.”

Since the political decision in 2010 to reduce ghetto lists by 60%, the infamous Mjolnerparken has made the list each year.

Kindergarten teacher Huda Karim, says changing the status quo within Nørrebro is about giving young people opportunities and feeling accepted within the community.

“There is another way of living than being a criminal. I really hope that young people who do all this or their younger siblings understand the fact that they are hurting other people,” said Huda.

(This article is written for readers in the UK and The Netherlands interested in integration, the controversial ‘ghetto housing’ and shootings can be read on Time newspaper. Especially those who read about EU-centered news on digital platforms like the Guardian, Time and EU.observer.)