April 14, 2025 — Copenhagen
An American college student who was recently arrested in Denmark is speaking out publicly for the first time, claiming that she and her friends were wrongfully detained during what was supposed to be a peaceful trip abroad.
“We had done nothing wrong,” said 20-year-old Alyssa Martinez, a junior at New York University, in a statement released through her family on Monday. “We were following all the rules, respecting local laws, and simply enjoying our time in Copenhagen when things suddenly escalated.”
Martinez was among three U.S. students detained by Danish police late last week near the popular Nyhavn district, after what authorities initially described as “disorderly conduct” and “failure to comply with police instructions.” The group had been part of a university-led cultural exchange program, with plans to spend a semester studying at the University of Copenhagen.
According to Martinez, the arrest occurred after the group was approached by officers while filming a student documentary in a public square.
“We showed our student IDs and tried to explain what we were doing, but they just told us to stop recording and then started pushing us back,” she said. “When we asked why, they said we were being uncooperative.”
Witnesses at the scene told local media the students appeared confused, not confrontational, and that the situation escalated rapidly. All three were taken to a local police station and held overnight before being released without charges.
A spokesperson for the Copenhagen Police Department confirmed the arrests but said the matter is still under internal review.
“We take all claims of wrongful detention seriously and are conducting a standard review of the incident,” the spokesperson said.
The U.S. Embassy in Copenhagen has since provided consular assistance to the students and said it is in communication with Danish authorities.
Back in the U.S., Martinez’s story has sparked conversation around the treatment of international students and cultural misunderstandings abroad.
NYU issued a brief statement supporting Martinez and her peers, calling the incident “deeply troubling” and urging full transparency from Danish authorities.
“Our students deserve to be treated fairly and with dignity when representing our university and our country overseas,” the university said.
Martinez, who is now staying with her host family in Copenhagen, says she plans to continue her studies but hopes her experience serves as a cautionary tale.
“I don’t want this to define my time here,” she said. “But no one should have to go through what we did just for being somewhere they belong.”
