Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt has tried to reassure the country's Jews after two shooting attacks rocked the nation's capital city Copenhagen on Saturday. The first attack occurred during a free speech event at a cafe. A gunman fired over 200 bullets into the cafe, killing a 55-year-old man, and wounding police three officers. A synagogue hosting a Bat Mitzvah celebration was the target of the second attack. Jewish security guard Dan Ozen, 38, was killed, while two others were injured. During a press conference Sunday, Thorning-Schmidt turned to the Jewish community in an attempt to ease their tensions, after what she referred to as a "cynical act of terror." "Jews are a very important part of Danish society," she stressed. "I say to the Jewish community - you are not alone." Thorning-Schmidt also expressed condolences to the families of the two people killed in the attacks, and noted that "attacks against Jews hurt all of us." The Prime Minister emphasized that the fears voiced by members of the Jewish community would be addressed and that local security forces would remain vigilant and work to prevent similar attacks from occurring in the future. "We're monitoring the threats to Denmark," the Prime Minister stressed. "We are trained in dealing with such threats, but unfortunately we cannot always protect ourselves from the people who carried out the attacks yesterday." "We have tried the ugly taste of fear and powerlessness which terror hopes to create," she continued, adding that Denmark was experiencing "a day of sorrow." "We will defend our democracy and we will defend Denmark at any time," Thorning-Schmidt said.
