The Controversy Surrounding Aalborg’s Mayor’s Participation in Beer Event
The recent incident involving the Mayor of Aalborg’s participation in a beer event has sparked criticism from the organization Alcohol and Society, which advocates for a more sustainable drinking culture.
Ida Fabricius Bruun, the director of the organization, expressed her surprise at the mayor’s decision to endorse an event that she believes is essentially a marketing ploy to boost sales of Christmas beer by breweries.
Designed to Encourage Excessive Drinking
Bruun argues that the mayor’s participation is problematic due to the nature of such events.
She stated, “We know that such events are designed to encourage people to drink excessively in a short amount of time. All experiences – including those from Aalborg – show that it contributes to increased pressure on emergency services, ambulances, and the police when large crowds gather and there is heavy drinking.”
“Therefore, it is concerning that a mayor would actively promote such an event,” she added.
Just weeks ago, the organization criticized Minister of Children and Education Mattias Tesfaye (S) for promoting the government’s proposal for a new high school education by serving “beer bongs” to influencers in a video on Instagram.
The backlash prompted the minister to apologize for his involvement in the video, acknowledging it was a mistake.
Defending the Controversy
Despite the criticism from Alcohol and Society, Aalborg’s mayor, Lasse Frimand Jensen, remains unfazed.
“I am happy to invite people to have a good evening and enjoy themselves,” Jensen stated.
“It is an important part of our culture in Aalborg that people can visit Jomfru Ane Gade – and of course, behave properly and look out for each other. I will also emphasize this in my speech today,” he added.
He even agreed to participate in a beer bong live on P4 Nordjylland, despite the criticism. You can watch the video here: