U.S. Embassy Removes Flags Honoring Danish Soldiers Killed in Afghanistan

In Copenhagen, staff at the U.S. Embassy removed 44 flags displaying the names of Danish soldiers who were killed in Afghanistan.

The display was organized by unidentified activists in response to criticism from U.S. President Donald Trump over the contributions of allied countries to the war, according to Euractiv.

The flags were placed near the embassy building on Tuesday but were taken down by security later that same day.

Previously, in an interview with Fox News, Trump said that allied forces in Afghanistan had “stayed a bit behind, away from the front lines.” Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called the president’s comments “unacceptable.”

The U.S. Embassy said there was “no malicious intent” behind the removal of the flags. A spokesperson for the diplomatic mission stated that if the embassy’s leadership had known about their significance, the flags would have been left in place. At the same time, Danish media reported that security personnel had been informed about the display in advance.

Denmark had one of the highest per capita casualty rates among allies in the war in Afghanistan.

In recent months, the country’s veterans have held protests outside the U.S. Embassy to remind the public of the sacrifices and contributions made by Danish troops.