File:Steen eiler rasmussen, tingbjerg school, 1964-1970 (2274037365).jpg

tingbjerg school, copenhagen. architect: steen eiler rasmussen, 1964-1970

the ongoing vandalism in copenhagen and other Danish towns at the hands of groups of young muslims was provoked by the re-publication in all major Danish newspapers of the infamous jyllandsposten cartoons. every night sees new fires, yet none of them as serious as the press make them appear.

I had to go see the remains of last night's biggest fire, steen eiler rasmussen's tingbjerg school, for myself. at first, the newspaper web sites reported that half the school had burnt down. in fact, only a few rooms were destroyed. the photo shows the full extent of the damage, approximately 300 square meters according to the copenhagen fire department.

the re-publication of the cartoons - which could appear to some as the press producing their own news - was in turn provoked by the announcement from the Danish secret service that they had thwarted the assassination of one of the cartoonists.

apparently, the secret service intervened so early in the planning of the murder that very little evidence was secured. new draconian anti-terror laws mean that the accused men will not be brought to trial in denmark but instead simply extradited to their country of origin, in this case a north african nation with - according to amnesty international - a history of using torture.

the murder plans, quite correctly classified by the authorities as terrorism, are part of an international agenda that we have very little influence on in denmark, I believe, cartoons or no cartoons. but the fact that kids across the country might think arson the best way to express their beliefs and be heard is a real blow to the welfare state. denmark has never been richer or known less unemployment than today, yet here is a large group, entirely marginalized, whose actions seem rooted in the deepest hopelessness.