A group of residents in one of the housing projects labelled a 'hard ghetto' by the Danish government is suing the government for ethnic discrimination. The group claims it is illegal to expel them from their rented apartments, which are going to be sold to private investors.

In other areas of Denmark, thousands of well-functioning houses will be demolished next year, to make space for new, private houses. This is part of the Danish 'ghetto plan'.

The criteria used to define a ghetto and a hard ghetto is the root of the criticism around this plan. Besides income, education level, unemployment and crime rates, one of the criteria for the distinction is the number of residents of 'non-Western origin'. In this definition the government is including people who are born in Demark with one migrant parent, and people born abroad who have obtained Danish citizenship. Foreigners from Europe, USA and a number of other countries do not fall in this category. The ultimate outcome is that 'non-Western' disproportionately refers Denmark’s non-white, non-European ethnic populations.  

UN Special Rapporteurs on human rights are warning Denmark to await the outcome of the court case:

'While the legality of the “Ghetto Package” is being litigated in the Danish high court, the sale of Mjølnerparken must not move forward' they said. 'It does not matter whether they own or rent, all residents should have a degree of security of tenure, which guarantees legal protection against forced eviction, harassment and other threats.'

In 2018 the Danish Parliament agreed the new 'ghetto plan' in order to change the balance of residents in certain areas with a socially low profile. This is very controversial for a social democratic welfare state such as Denmark: it turns away from the well known tools of social support projects in collaboration with the residents, and instead entails forced removals, economic sanctions and special local laws.

The plan includes:

• Demolition and redevelopment of buildings;
• Forced removal of certain residents, mainly families, to make room for private investors and attract people with a stronger social profile. Current tenants will be offered alternative accommodation, but will have no say in its location, quality or cost;
• Obligatory daycare for children from the age of one. If parents fail to enrol their child, they will lose access to childcare support. Daycare continues to be voluntary elsewhere in the country.
• Language tests for non-Western children in kindergarten (not required outside of these areas).
• Increased focus on criminal sentencing for crimes committed in certain areas within the ghetto boundaries.

Last year the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights said in a tweet that the package is 'hugely troubling & risks heightening racial discrimination against people of migrant origin - further "ghettoising" them. Coercive assimilation measures run risk of fuelling racial prejudice, xenophobia & intolerance.'

A group of residents has formed an organisation called Almen Modstand, campaigning to revoke the plan. Details of their campaign can be found on their website.