COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — A red baseball cap modeled after Donald Trump’s iconic MAGA hat has become a symbol of Denmark and Greenland’s resistance to the U.S. president’s threat to seize the frozen territory.
Hats that read “Let America Go” – a parody of Trump’s “Make America Great Again” slogan – have become popular along with variations on social media and at public protests, including a weekend demonstration in frigid weather in the Danish capital.
European governments have rallied behind Denmark, saying the Arctic needs to be defended and warning that threats to Greenland could undermine Western security.
The protesters, however, were less than diplomatic.
“I wanted to show support for Greenland but also show that I don’t like the president of the United States,” said Lars Hermansen, a 76-year-old Copenhagen resident who wore a red hat at a protest on Saturday.
These mock hats were designed by Copenhagen vintage clothing store owner Jesper Rabe Tonnesen. An early batch failed last year — until the Trump administration recently escalated its rhetoric on Greenland. It’s popping up everywhere now.
“When the U.S. delegation went to Greenland, we started to realize that maybe this wasn’t a joke, this wasn’t a reality TV show, it was reality,” said Tonison, 58, “so I said, OK, what can I do? “Can I deliver a good message in a funny way and unite the Danes to show that the Danish people support the people of Greenland? “
Demand suddenly jumped from a trickle to a sell-out over the course of a weekend. Tonison said he has now ordered “a few thousand.”
The original version designed by Tonnesen included a play on words: “Nu det NUUK!” — a variation of the Danish phrase “Nu det nok,” which means “that’s enough for now,” replacing Greenland’s small capital Nuuk.
Protesters at Saturday’s rally waved red-and-white Danish and Greenlandic flags and held handmade signs mocking U.S. claims to the territory, which is slightly larger than Saudi Arabia.
A sign read “No means no.” Another declared, “Make America smart again.”
Protester Kristian Boye, 49, who wore a prankster hat, said the rally in front of Copenhagen’s city hall had a lighthearted tone while delivering a serious message.
“I’m here to support Greenlanders who are going through a very difficult time right now,” he said. “Their country is threatened with invasion. I think that’s completely unacceptable.”
This story was originally published on wealth network