Am I allowed to hold a demonstration in Denmark?
Yes — freedom of assembly is protected by Constitution §79, and you need no permission. Citizens have the right to assemble unarmed without prior permission, and spontaneous, peaceful demonstrations are protected too. But under the Police Act you must notify the police of a public demonstration at least 24 hours in advance — it is free, and you notify online with MitID or call 114. A notification is not an application, and that is the distinction people trip over. The police can set conditions on route, time and place and can ultimately disperse an open-air assembly dangerous to public peace. It is forbidden to mask yourself to avoid being recognised.
📋 The rules
- Freedom of assembly is protected by Constitution §79
- No permission needed to assemble unarmed
- Notify the police at least 24 hours in advance (free)
- The police can set conditions on route, time and place
- It is forbidden to mask yourself at a demonstration
🔓 Exceptions
- Spontaneous, peaceful demonstrations are also protected
- Carrying people on a lorry bed in a march needs a special permit
- A demonstration on private land needs the owner's consent
⚠️ Penalties & fines
The demonstration itself is a right, so it is not what you are punished for — it is what happens around it. Failing to follow police orders on route, time or place is punishable, and the masking ban can bring a fine or up to 6 months prison if you cover your face to avoid being recognised. Serious public-order breaches are punished harder. What organisers overlook is the setting: a lorry bed carrying people in a march needs a special permit, and private land needs the owner's consent. Both are the organiser's responsibility, not the police's.
📎 Official sources
❓ Frequently asked
Can I hold a demonstration?
Yes. Freedom of assembly is protected by Constitution §79, and you need no permission to assemble unarmed. You must, however, notify the police of a public demonstration at least 24 hours in advance, and it is free.
Do I need permission?
No. You need no permission to assemble unarmed — the notification to the police is exactly that, a notification, not an application the police must approve before you may take the demonstration to the street.
How far in advance must I notify?
At least 24 hours in advance. It is free, and you notify online with MitID or call 114. Spontaneous, peaceful demonstrations, where that deadline cannot be met, are protected by freedom of assembly as well.
Can the police stop a demonstration?
The police can set conditions on route, time and place if there is a well-founded fear of disorder. Ultimately they can ban or disperse an open-air assembly that is dangerous to public peace.
Can I mask myself at a demonstration?
No. The masking ban makes it punishable to cover your face to avoid being recognised, and it can bring a fine or up to 6 months prison — even if the demonstration is otherwise entirely peaceful.
🔎 Common searches
What people search to land here:
- “can I hold a demonstration denmark”
- “freedom of assembly constitution 79”
- “notify police 24 hours”
- “demonstration without permission”
- “masking ban demonstration”
- “police conditions demonstration”