The Anti-Restrictions Movement and the Populist Counterpublics in Denmark


Abstract


Despite less restrictive governmental Covid-19 measures than in other European countries, Denmark also witnessed the rise of mobilisations against vaccine measures and corona-related restrictions. While most protests did not assemble many participants, nor garnered much media attention, the anti-restrictions scene consists of a vast and diverse array of activists and organisations united in the call for less governmental intervention in the freedoms of the citizens, as also witnessed elsewhere across the globe. We conceptualise the anti-restrictions groups as 'populist counterpublics', since the counterdiscourses emerging from the Covid-19 measures deepen the antagonist divide between the ordinary people and the elites. We focus on three of the most prominent groups: Men in Black (MIB), the Freedom Movement's Joint Council (FBF), and Earth Freedom Knowledge 21 (JFK21). By analysing arenas and frames, we show how the Danish anti-restrictions movement uses the diagnostic frames of totalitarian government and global complot to blame the Danish government and international elites, and the prognostic frames of power and rights to the people and individual freedom as solutions to the articulated problems. Although these groups employed similar frames and enemy constructions, they failed in promoting internal alliances and in shaping a new and accepted idea of who makes up 'the people', leading to a limited level of public support for their cause.

DOI Code: 10.1285/i20356609v15i3p741

Keywords: Anti-restrictions; collective action; counterpublics; Covid-19; populism; Denmark

References


Almeida P.D. and Lichbach M.I. (2003), “To the Internet, from the Internet: Comparative Media Coverage of Transnational Protests”, Mobilization: An International Journal, 8(3): 249-272.

Bacchi C. (2009), Analysing policy: what's the problem represented to be? Pearson.

Benford R. D. and D.A. Snow (2000), “Framing processes and social movements: An overview and assessment”, Annual Review of Sociology, 26(1): 611-639. DOI: 10.1146/annurev.soc.26.1.611

Bergmann E. (2018), Conspiracy & Populism. The Politics of Misinformation. Cham: Palgrave Macmillan.

Bor A., Jørgensen F. and M. Bang Pedersen (2021), “The Covid-19 Pandemic Eroded System Support, But Not Social Solidarity”, Preprint, DOI: 10.31234/osf.io/qjmct

Bruun-Hansen K. (2021, January 21). EB, B.T. og JP bringer annonce fra corona-skeptikere – Berlingske og Politiken afviser. Journalisten. Retrieved April 22, 2022 (https://journalisten.dk/eb-b-t-og-jp-bringer-annonce-fra-corona-skeptikere-berlingske-og-politiken-afviser/)

Nationalt Kommunikationspartnerskab (2022, January 26). Ikke flere coronarestriktioner fra den 1. februar. coronasmitte.dk. Retrieved July 25, 2022 (https://coronasmitte.dk/nyt-fra-myndighederne/pressemoeder/stm-om-coronasituationen-i-danmark)

Dahlberg L. (2011), “Re-constructing digital democracy: An outline of four ‘positions’”, New Media & Society, 13(6): 855-872.

della Porta D. (2022). Contentious Politics in Emergency Critical Junctures. Progressive Social Movements during the Pandemic. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Elkær S. (2020, November 11). Fakkeltog skal forhindre 'forrykt epidemilov':- Vi er nødt til at råbe op. Viborg Stifts Folkeblad. Retrieved May 27, 2022 (https://viborg-folkeblad.dk/artikel/fakkeloptog-skal-forhindre-forrykt-epidemilov-vi-er-n%C3%B8dt-til-at-r%C3%A5be-op)

Eurofound (2021). “Living, working and Covid-19 (Update April 2021): Mental health and trust decline across EU as pandemic enters another year”. Retrieved October 3, 2022 from: https://www.eurofound.europa.eu/sites/default/files/ef_publication/field_ef_document/ef21064en.pdf

FBF (Frihedsbevægelsens Frihedsråd) (n.d.a), Om Frihedsbevægelsens Fællesråd. Retrieved April 22, 2022 (https://fbf.one/om-frihedsbevaegelsens-faellesraad/#___Vi_samler_og_forener__)

FBF (Frihedsbevægelsens Frihedsråd) (n.d.b), Hvad er dissensMEDIA? Retrieved May 27, 2022 (https://fbf.one/dissens/hvad-er-dissensmedia/)

FBF (Frihedsbevægelsens Frihedsråd) (2020a, November). Gør dig ikke medskyldig. Retrieved March 2, 2022 (http://xn--opmrksomhedsbrev%20til%20praktiserende%20lger-f3d3b/)

FBF (Frihedsbevægelsens Frihedsråd) (2020b). Kendsgerninger om Covid-19. Retrieved May 21, 2022 (https://fbf.one/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/fbf-oktober-2020-flyer-kendsgerninger-om-Covid-19.pdf)

FBF (Frihedsbevægelsens Frihedsråd) (2021a), Vedtægter. Revised June 1, 2021, Retrieved May 14, 2022 (https://fbf.one/vedtaegter/)

FBF (Frihedsbevægelsens Frihedsråd) (2021b, December 30). En henvendelse til Mette Frederiksen, Danmarks Statsminister. Retrieved May 22, 2022 (https://fbf.one/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/En-henvendelse-til-Mette-Frederiksen-Danmarks-Statsminister.pdf)

FBF (Frihedsbevægelsens Frihedsråd) (2021c). Opråb om afvisning af tvangsvacciner. Retrieved May 27, 2022 (https://fbf.one/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Opra%CC%8Ab-om-afvisning-af-tvangsvacciner.pdf)

Fraser N. (1992), “Rethinking the Public Sphere: A Contribution to the Critique of Actually Existing Democracy”, in C. Calhoun (ed.), Habermas and the Public Sphere, Cambridge: MIT Press, pp. 109-142.

Gerbaudo P. (2018), “Social media and populism: an elective affinity?” Media, Culture & Society, 40(5): 745-753.

Hassing Nielsen J. and J. Lindvall (2021), “Trust in government in Sweden and Denmark during the Covid-19 epidemic”, West European Politics, 44(5-6): 1180-1204. DOI: 10.1080/01402382.2021.1909964

Hatakka N. (2019), Populism in the hybrid media system: Populist radical right online counterpublics interacting with journalism, party politics and citizen activism. Turku: University of Turku.

Henningsen L.H. (2020, September 17), De går på gaden i protest mod den »dybe stat«, og de har aldrig før fyldt så meget i Danmark. Politiken. Retrieved April 18, 2022 (https://politiken.dk/kultur/art7915507/De-g%C3%A5r-p%C3%A5-gaden-i-protest-mod-den-%C2%BBdybe-stat%C2%AB-og-de-har-aldrig-f%C3%B8r-fyldt-s%C3%A5-meget-i-Danmark)

Hoffman-Hansen H. (2021, January 27), “De sorte mænd” raser over regeringens restriktioner – og er en særdeles broget flok. Kristeligt Dagblad. Retrieved April 22, 2022 (https://www.kristeligt-dagblad.dk/danmark/de-sorte-maend-er-en-broget-flok-demonstranter)

Honoré D.R. (2019, July 29), Konspirationsteoretikere er blevet mainstream: »Vi er en sandhedstrussel«, Berlingske. Retrieved May 28, 2022 (https://www.berlingske.dk/samfund/konspirationsteoretikere-er-blevet-mainstream-vi-er-en-sandhedstrussel)

Hutter S. (2014), “Protest Event Analysis and Its Offspring”, in D. della Porta (Ed.), Methodological Practices in Social Movement Research. Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 335-368.

Jackson S.J. and Foucault Welles B. (2015), “Hijacking #myNYPD: Social Media Dissent and Networked Counterpublics”, Journal of Communication, 65: 932-952.

JFK21 (Jorden Frihed Kundskab 21) (n.d), Kort præsentation. Retrieved May 14, 2022 (https://jfk21.dk/assets/files/FlyerJFKkort_v03.pdf)

JFK21 (Jorden Frihed Kundskab 21) (2021a). Covid Cult. Retrieved May 27, 2022 (https://jfk21.dk/assets/files/CovidCultEN_v3.pdf)

JFK21 (Jorden Frihed Kundskab 21) (2021b, May 13). Nyhedsbrev. Retrieved May 22, 2022 (https://mailchi.mp/jfk21/planer-og-begivenheder)

Johanson M. (2020, August 4), ’Samfundssind’: How a long-forgotten word rallied a nation, BBC. Retrieved May 27, 2022 (https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20200802-how-the-long-forgotten-word-samfundssin-rallied-a-nation)

Karppinen K. (2009), “European public sphere and the challenge of radical pluralism”, in I. Salovaara-Moring (ed.), Manufacturing Europe: Spaces of democracy, diversity and communication, Gothenburg: Nordicom, pp. 53–67.

Katsambekis G. and Y. Stavrakakis (2020). “Populism and the Pandemic. A Collaborative Report”. POPULISMUS Interventions, 7. Thessaloniki: Populismus.

Kennedy J. (2019), “Populist Politics and Vaccine Hesitancy in Western Europe: An Analysis of National-Level Data”, European Journal of Public Health, 29(3): 512-516.

Kjøgx Bohr, J. (2021), Særligt to partier har høj andel "vaccineskeptikere" blandt deres vælgere. Tv2. Retrieved October 3, 2022 (https://nyheder.tv2.dk/politik/2021-11-09-saerligt-to-partier-har-hoej-andel-vaccineskeptikere-blandt-deres-vaelgere)

Koopmans R. and D. Rucht (2002), “Protest Event Analysis”, in B. Klandermans and S. Staggenborg (eds.), Methods of Social Movement Research, Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, pp.231-259.

Krastev I. and Leonard M. (2021). “Europe’s Invisible Divides: How Covid-19 is Polarising European Politics”. European Council on Foreign Affairs. Retrieved October 3, 2022 from: https://ecfr.eu/wp-content/uploads/Europes-invisible-divides-How-Covid-19-is-polarising-European-politics.pdf

Krog A., C. Lehmann and K.F. Lønstrup (2021, March 8), Coronaprotester giver næring til nye partier, Altinget. Retrieved April 24, 2022 (https://www.altinget.dk/artikel/coronaprotester-giver-naering-til-nye-partier)

Lehmann, C., K.F. Lønstrup, A. Krog, B. Kotkas and C. Kragh (2021, March 8), GRAFIK: Netværksanalyse af det danske coronaoprør, Mandag Morgen. Retrieved May 29, 2022 (https://www.mm.dk/artikel/Grafisk%20netv%C3%A6rksanalyse%20af%20det%20danske%20coronaopr%C3%B8r)

Lenesgalleri.dk (n.d). Retrieved May 30, 2022 (https://www.lenesgalleri.dk/3938828)

MIB (Men in Black) (n.d.) Manifest. Retrieved May 18, 2022 (https://meninblack.dk/manifest/)

Moffitt B. (2016), Global Rise of Populism: Performance, Political Style, and Representation. Stanford: Stanford University Press.

Müller J-W. (2016), What is Populism? Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press.

Pirro A. L. and Taggart P. (2022), “Populists in power and conspiracy theories”, Party Politics, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/13540688221077071

Pfetsch B. (2018), “Dissonant and Disconnected Public Spheres as Challenge for Political Communication Research”, Javnost-the public, 25(1-2), 59-65.

Recio-Román A., M. Recio-Menéndez, M.V. Román-González (2021), “Vaccine Hesitancy and Political Populism. An Invariant Cross-European Perspective”, International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(24): 12953.

Ringe N. and Rennó L. (Eds.) (2022). Populists and the Pandemic: How Populists Around the World Responded to Covid-19. Routledge.

Schmidt Møller A. (2021, November 4). Ny måling: Sms-sagen har skadet Mette Frederiksens troværdighed, mener næsten tre ud af fire. Tv2. Retrieved October 3, 2022 (https://nyheder.tv2.dk/samfund/2021-11-04-ny-maaling-sms-sagen-har-skadet-mette-frederiksens-trovaerdighed-mener-naesten)

Schroeder R. (2018), Social Theory after the Internet Book. Media, Technology, and Globalization, London: UCL Press.

Snow D.A. and R.D. Benford (1988), “Ideology, frame resonance and participant mobilisation”, in B. Klandermans, H. Kriesi and S.G. Tarrow (eds.). From structure to action: Comparing social movement research across cultures, Greenwich, CT: JAI Press, pp. 197-217.

Sønderup A. (2021, January 17), De kalder sig frihedskæmpere, og når de har vundet kampen, vil de stille dronningen og andre fra eliten til ansvar for corona-svindel. Nordjyske. Retrieved April 20, 2022 (https://nordjyske.dk/nyheder/aalborg/de-kalder-sig-frihedskaempere-og-naar-de-har-vundet-kampen-vil-de-stille-dronningen-og-andre-fra-eliten-til-ansvar-for-corona-svindel/6dcfb060-3603-41cd-9881-6424e46d70a9)

Statista (2022, June 14). Number of Covid-19 vaccine doses administered in Europe as of June 14, 2022, by country. Retrieved July 24, 2022 (https://www.statista.com/statistics/1196071/Covid-19-vaccination-rate-in-europe-by-country/#statisticContainer)

Thorsen A. and S. Türker (2021, September 25), Restriktionerne er væk. Men for både anti-vaxxere og Men In Black er kampen kun lige begyndt, Zetland. Retrieved May 27, 2022 (https://www.zetland.dk/historie/se2E9gqa-aopXLwdn-6b434)

Van Dongen T. and E. Leidig (2021, August 18), “Whose Side Are They on? The Diversity of Far-Right Responses to Covid-19”. International Centre for Counter-Terrorism. Retrieved October 3, 2022 (https://icct.nl/publication/whose-side-are-they-on-the-diversity-of-far-right-responses-to-Covid-19/)

Villadsen L.S. (2021, March 11), ”Forsker: Mette Frederiksens hverdagsnationalisme svækkede debatten om Covid-19”, Forskerzonen. Retrieved May 27 2022 (https://videnskab.dk/forskerzonen/kultur-samfund/forsker-mette-frederiksens-hverdagsnationalisme-svaekkede-debatten-om-Covid-19)

Villumsen Berling T., U.P. Gad, K.L. Petersen and O. Wæver (2021, November 8), ”The pandemic has overturned our old understandings of security”, DIIS. Retrieved May 27, 2022 (https://www.diis.dk/en/research/the-pandemic-has-overturned-our-old-understandings-of-security)

Warner M. (2002), "Publics and Counterpublics”, Public Culture, 14(1), 49-90.

Worldwide Demonstration (n.d.), “About”. Retrieved May 30, 2022 (https://worldwidedemonstration.com/about/)

Žuk P. and P. Żuk (2020), “Right-Wing Populism in Poland and Anti-Vaccine Myths on YouTube: Political and Cultural Threats to Public Health”, Global Public Health, 15(6): 790-804.


Full Text: PDF

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.
Bookmark and Share


Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribuzione - Non commerciale - Non opere derivate 3.0 Italia License.