Copenhagen shooting: 30,000 gather to commemorate two killed in attack

The crowd, including the Danish crown prince and prime minister, held candles as the light fell outside the scene of the first attack

Thousands gather in Copenhagen (AP)

Tens of thousands have gathered in cities and towns across Denmark to commemorate the deaths of two men at the hands of a gunman over the weekend.

Pictures emerging show thousands taking to the streets of Copenhagen, holding candles and flowers, before observing a minute’s silence last night as dusk fell.

Roughly 30,000 people, including Danish prime minster Helle Thoring-Schmidt and the country’s crown prince, gathered in front of the Krudttoenden cultural centre.

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(AFP)

(AP)

(REUTERS)

(REUTERS)

(REUTERS)

(AP)

The cultural centre was the scene of the first attack. Film director Finn Nørgaard, 55, attending a talk on freedom of speech by controversial cartoonish Lars Vilks, was killed when the gunman interrupted the debate.

Hours later the shooter, named by local media as Omar El-Hussein, attacked a local synagogue – where a bat mitzvah was in progress – killing Jewish security guard Dan Uzan, 37, before he was himself shot dead on Sunday in a SWAT raid.

Speaking to the crowd last night the Danish PM said the attack on the Jews of Denmark "is an attack on Denmark, on all of us".

Authorities have confirmed that El-Hussein, who had a violent criminal past and was known to police, is not believed to be part of a wider terrorist cell.

Two men were charged yesterday with helping El-Hussein hide his weapon and evade security forces.