Larry Williams Drive

A Danish Parliament-appointed commission has harshly criticized the country's government for its decision to cull millions of healthy mink at the height of the coronavirus pandemic to protect humans from a mutation of the virus.The 2020 decision to wipe out Denmark's entire captive mink population had stirred strong controversy, particularly as the necessary legislation to allow such a drastic move was put in place more than a month after the cull had started.In its report released Thursday, the commission said Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen was “grossly misleading” during a Nov. 4 press conference when she announced that all mink — infected and healthy animals alike — should be culled. The report also criticized other top Danish officials.The culling of up to 17 million animals was ordered after a mutated version of the coronavirus was found in farms in northern Denmark and infected 11 people. Although there was no evidence that the mutated version was more dangerous, the government said it moved proactive