Israeli security guard murdered in terrorist attack in Copehagen voted 'Dane of the Year'
Dan Uzan was protecting a bat mitzvah celebration at a synagogue and prevented the terrorist from entering; Denmark daily newspaper's readers chose him by overwhelming majority.
The award was given to Dan's father, Sergio Mordechai Uzan, by the newspaper's editor. Dan's mother and sister also attended the ceremony and received emotional rounds of applause.
The Danish Jewish community numbers about 7,000 people, 5,000 of whom live in Copenhagen. Uzan, whose father is Israeli and whose mother is Danish, was 37 years old. He served as a security guard for the city's Jewish community and was stationed at the entrance to the synagogue to guard Hannah Bentov's bat mitzvah party. An armed radical Islamic terrorist attempted to break into the synagogue and shot Uzan, who is thought to have prevented a massacre of those participating in the bat mitzvah party.
Denmark's prime minister at the time, Helle Thorning-Schmidt, and then opposition head and current prime minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen both attended Uzan's funeral.
The daily paper held a public competition to select 2015's man of the year from ten candidates and Uzan was chosen by a clear majority. The ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Rasmussen, who called Uzan a hero. He expressed admiration and appreciation of the family, who after the murder made declarations against hate and prejudice rather than calling for revenge.
Denmark's ambassador to Israel, Jesper Vahr, said that "this is a wise and popular choice. Dan stands out as an example to all of us with his resolve and self-sacrifice. We must condemn terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. Uzan did this without hesitation and paid the ultimate price.
"The title 'Dane of the Year' is just a small gesture of respect and appreciation from the Danish people for the determination of one their own."
