June 13, 2003
GREAT DANE UPDATE
Aage Bjerre, the Danish pizza hero, is headed for prison:
A Danish pizzeria owner who refused to serve French and German tourists because their governments did not back the US-led war in Iraq was convicted of discrimination today.
Aage Bjerre, who owns a pizzeria on western Denmark's Fanoe island, argued the Germans and French were "anti-American".
Police were called in, and today a Danish court fined Bjerre 5000 kroner ($1200) or said he could spend a week in jail.
"I will not pay. I'll do the time," Bjerre said after the hearing. "I feel that I was convicted for supporting the coalition."
He said he had received more than 200 letters from around the world offering support, including letters from "nearly every single state in the United States".
"That means a lot more to me than losing money."
Has anyone in Europe been convicted yet for discriminating against Americans?
Posted by Tim Blair at June 13, 2003 12:14 AM"Has anyone in Europe been convicted yet for discriminating against Americans?"
You're kidding right? That's not the aim of the game.
GO AAGE!
Posted by: AndyM at June 13, 2003 at 12:32 AMHell, I'll chip in to pay his fine. Just give me an address.
Posted by: Kerry at June 13, 2003 at 12:43 AM"Has anyone in Europe been convicted yet for discriminating against Americans?"
Wait a second...Do you really want to see half the European population behind bars?
Posted by: PortugueseGuy at June 13, 2003 at 02:11 AMI'll try to hunt down an address; currently driving to Melbourne, which explains low postings.
Posted by: tim at June 13, 2003 at 02:27 AMinterestingly I haven't seen any reports of any germans or french folk saying they were actualy refused service - the whole story seems to revlove around the sign he put up.
Which makes the point that it is as much a protest about the sensitive sanctimoniousness of some Europeans and their serious lack of humour that Aage is protesting about.
Posted by: giles at June 13, 2003 at 02:54 AM"Wait a second...Do you really want to see half the European population behind bars?"
Hmmm. Well, now that you mention it...
Posted by: Stubby Librarian at June 13, 2003 at 03:43 AM
Okay, it's not the best banner in the world, but hopefully it'll get the ball rolling.
http://www.patheticearthlings.com/archives/000492.html
FREE AAGE BJERRE!
And Tim - you can count me in for a few bucks.
Posted by: Andrew at June 13, 2003 at 04:34 AMI'm going to order a pizza to go, and when it arrives I'll get the return address. Hell, I'll order two pies from this fine gentleman.
Posted by: Wallace at June 13, 2003 at 05:16 AMHere's a start on the Pizza Hero....the Faroe Islands Tourist site, listing a pizza place. Maybe a Danish speaker can follow up:
http://www.faroeislands.com/UK/Yellow_Pages/27.html
Pizzaria Primavera
Kambsdalur, Tel 444446
More Faroe Islands pizza joints:
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Pizza 67 - Havnar Klubbi
Tinghúsvegur 8, FO-100 Tórshavn
Tel. 356767
pizza@pizza67.fo, www.pizza67.fo
(1)-(7) 12.00-23.30