Thousands of supporters gather in City Hall Square for protest concert in support of the Iraqis

A hastily arranged protest concert has filled Rådhuspladsen (City Hall Square) to the brink with people supporting the refugees evicted from their church shelter.

Humanitarian group Kirkeasyl organised yesterday’s concert to highlight the plight of the rejected asylum seekers who had been sheltering in Brorson’s Church in Nørrebro until last week’s eviction.

Some of the country’s biggest musical acts including Outlandish, Nephew, Choir of Young Believers and Trentemøller took to the stage in support of the asylum seekers and to protest the way in which Copenhagen police raided the church and dealt with protesters afterwards.

While rap, rock, folk music and electronica rang out across the square, impassioned speeches were given from the stage calling for the Iraqis to be given residence on humanitarian grounds.

The Iraqis at the centre of the debate have had their asylum applications rejected but can not be returned to Iraq until the Iraqi authorities agree to take them. A bilateral deal was signed between Denmark and Iraq in the spring and up to 80 of those affected fled to the church seeking refuge.

The next step for Kirkeasyl in its battle to secure humanitarian refugee status for the Iraqis is a peaceful protest at Copenhagen Airport when the next round of forced repatriations takes place.