A
Danish nightclub has been accused of discrimination over its language
requirements for entry by asylum seekers, prompting fears more
establishments could follow suit amid a spate of reports of sexual
harassment.
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| Danish Police officers ar Danish-German border in Krusaa on Jan 9 2016 |
The
Buddy Holly nightclub in the southern town of Sonderborg has hit the
news after requiring customers to speak either Danish, English or German
after women in several Danish towns hosting refugees complained of
being harassed by asylum seekers.
While
the club first introduced its language rule in 1997 -- long before the
current wave of migration to Europe -- tensions over the migrant crisis
have brought the issue back to the fore.
Club
owner Tom Holden, says he never intended to play into the hands of
xenophobes, citing practical reasons instead for the policy.
"The
product we are offering -- 'a happy evening in a safe environment' --
requires our staff to be able to talk to the patrons," Holden told AFP.
Not being able to communicate with "large groups of customers" created feelings of "insecurity," he added.
Amnesty International in Denmark branded the measure discriminatory.
"Of
course you can communicate with people if something security-related
happens, even if they cannot speak Danish," spokesman Claus Juul told
broadcaster TV 2.
Holden
says the club has been implementing the policy since 1997 -- long
before Europe's worst migrant crisis since World War II.
The
idea then, he says, was to stop groups of people who arrive in the
town's harbour from eastern Europe and Russia from entering the bar.
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