Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of Copenhagen and other Danish cities on 17 January 2026 to protest U.S. President Donald Trump’s asserted push to take control of Greenland, an autonomous Danish territory, in what has become one of the largest public demonstrations related to the dispute.
The protests, organised by Greenlandic associations and supporters of self-determination, saw crowds waving Danish and Greenlandic flags and chanting slogans such as “Greenland is not for sale” and “Hands off Greenland!” as they marched from Copenhagen City Hall toward the U.S. embassy. Demonstrators also gathered in other Danish cities including Aarhus, Aalborg and Odense, while a sister rally was planned in Nuuk, Greenland’s capital, to reinforce opposition to what organisers described as “illegal plans to take control” of the island.
Participants said the aim was to send “a clear and unified message of respect for Greenland’s democracy and fundamental human rights,” highlighting broad disapproval of Trump’s rhetoric and reported threats to impose tariffs on countries opposing his ambitions for Greenland. Many protestors emphasised that Greenland, rich in minerals and strategically situated in the Arctic must remain under its current governance and not be subjected to external acquisition.
The demonstrations coincided with the visit of a bipartisan U.S. Congressional delegation to Copenhagen, which has publicly opposed the administration’s pressure tactics and stressed that many Americans do not support a takeover of Greenland. Speakers at the protests reaffirmed their demands for respect for self-determination, sovereignty and international legal standards, underscoring solidarity among Greenlanders and their allies in Denmark against external interference
