Hundreds of mothers in Denmark hold breastfeeding protest outside Copenhagen's City Hall

June 17, 2013 at 6:25PM
Hundreds of women feed their babies outside City Hall Square in Copenhagen, Monday June 17, 2013, in a demonstration to promote public breastfeeding after customers at a cafe told a woman suckling her baby that it was disgusting.
Hundreds of women feed their babies outside City Hall Square in Copenhagen, Monday June 17, 2013, in a demonstration to promote public breastfeeding after customers at a cafe told a woman suckling her baby that it was disgusting. (Associated Press - Ap/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

COPENHAGEN, Denmark — Hundreds of Danish mothers have held a breastfeeding protest outside Copenhagen's City Hall after customers at a cafe told a woman suckling her baby in public that it was disgusting.

Monday's protest was organized to promote public breastfeeding by mother Trine Maria Larsen, who says she was approached by customers at the cafe. She told the Politiken daily that some had likened public breastfeeding to "going to the toilet while eating."

Public breastfeeding in Nordic countries is common, but Larsen, a Danish blogger, says there have been growing complaints about breastfeeding at restaurants and cafes, and she organized the event to urge them not to ban it on their premises.

Danish medical officials recommend that mothers breastfeed their babies for at least six months.

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