How a Danish newspaper became a global flashpoint for free speech and terror

Entertainment · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Founded in 1871, Jyllands-Posten evolved from a regional Jutland broadsheet into a major national institution. Yet, its legacy is defined by a 2005 decision to publish controversial cartoons of the prophet Muhammad, triggering worldwide protests, diplomatic crises, and a series of targeted terrorist plots against the paper and its staff.

Jyllands-Posten, or JP, began as a modernizing force in Jutland, securing exclusive access to telegraph wires to beat competitors to the news. Throughout the early 20th century, it maintained a staunchly conservative, nationalist editorial line. It openly admired authoritarian regimes in Italy and Germany during the 1920s and 1930s, viewing democratic instability as a luxury that nations could not afford during economic crises. By 1938, the paper even suggested that Germany had a right to dispose of its Jewish population, though it later criticized the persecution of Jews in an open letter by Kaj Munk.

The post-war era saw the paper pivot toward economic liberalism and anti-communism, eventually becoming the largest morning newspaper in Denmark by 1994. However, its editorial independence has frequently courted controversy. In 2001, the paper faced internal upheaval after publishing an unsupported story about asylum fraud, leading to the dismissal of its editor-in-chief. Reports from the European Network Against Racism have also criticized the paper for its disproportionate focus on negative stories regarding Islamic immigrants, a stance the paper maintains is not consistently anti-migrant.

The most significant turning point occurred in September 2005, when the paper solicited and published 12 cartoons depicting the prophet Muhammad. While the newspaper defended the act as a commitment to free speech, the backlash was immediate and violent. Riots in 2006, particularly in Nigeria, resulted in at least 15 deaths. The paper subsequently became a primary target for extremist violence, facing multiple terrorist plots, including a 2009 conspiracy involving David Headley and Tahawwur Hussain Rana, and a 2010 letter bomb incident. Despite these threats, the paper continues to operate under the Jyllands-Postens Fond, maintaining its influence as a central, if polarizing, pillar of Danish media.

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