One person has been killed and at least three police officers were wounded during a shooting at a café in Copenhagen, hosting a debate on the issue of Free Speech.

According to foreign media reports, the event featured a debate on blasphemy and was attended by Swedish artist Lars Vilks, known for his controversial sketches of the prophet Muhammad, and also by the French ambassador to Denmark Francois Zimeray.

The two gunmen, who wore black and spoke in Danish are still at large.

Lars Vilks

The authorities believe that the target of the attack was Vilks, who was embroiled in 2007 in an international controversy after he made a series of drawings depicting the Islamic prophet Muhammad as a roundabout dog. The drawings were intended to be shown at a local art exhibition in Sweden but were removed by the organisers, citing security concerns and fear of violence from Muslims.

Vilks submitted the drawings to several other art galleries but all declined to show the drawings for the same reasons. The controversy gained international attention after a newspaper published one of the drawings as part of an an article of freedom of religion. Following this publication, Vilks has been forced to live under police protection after having received several death threats.