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Police Harassment of Legitimate Protestors
The police have completely over reacted in Iceland against people protesting, or people seen to be supporting them.
Marked and unmarked police vehicles followed people hitching along the south route for days and vehicles driving the north route were followed in to the middle of nowhere overnight. The national news has shown film of an undercover (not anymore!) car tailing people in Reykjavik round and round a roundabout!
The authorities are obviously scared of these new direct action tactics spreading in Iceland and are throwing all their (limited) resources at us. The police were made to look ridiculous as we outsmarted them at every move in the highlands, now they look even worse for over reacting.
Aug 18 2005
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DEPORTATIONS!
Deportation papers have been issued for 21 people involved in the blockade at the Karahnjukar dam construction site on the 19th July and an action at the Alcoa alluminium smelter plant in the Reyðarfjörður on the 4th August.
Picnic by the Parliament
On Saturday 13th August a fun and peaceful picnic was held in Parliament Square. There was street theatre including clowns and a giant evil octopus with blue hands to symbolize the web of corruption in Iceland. We shared cake and played games with the Icelandic people. Our fun was disrupted when the forces of evil came and snatched an Icelandic street performer wearing a police jacket. They also tried to take someone wearing a home-made Alcoa jacket but he was successfully de-arrested.
Fundraising Dinner
On Friday 12th August a fund-raising dinner was held by people involved with the Saving Iceland Protest Camp at Kárahnjúkar in Snarrot Information Centre.
A slideshow showed images of areas of wilderness that are going to be destroyed because of the Kárahnjúkar and other dam projects. Video footage of our direct actions at Kárahnjúkar and the Alcoa factory was shown to re-inspire Reykjavikian resistance.
Aluminium Smelters Add Little to Iceland’s Bottom Line
Iceland Review
08/18/2005
In its Tuesday daily bulletin, KB-bank says that the benefit that Iceland derives from aluminium smelters is small. The bank supports this view by claiming that the electricity is sold at close to cost and the rate of return for hydroelectric dams is low. It also says that the economical impact is overstated in the local discourse.
Aug 17 2005
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We who have been protesting…
Reykjavík
We who have been protesting against heavy industry and the devastating destruction of Iceland’s natural environment at Kárahnjúkar in the Eastern highlands of Iceland and in other parts of the country in recent months would like to take the opportunity to make the following statement:
During our protests we have used methods which may not have a long tradition in Iceland but which do not constitute a breach of the law. We are a broad-based group of Icelanders and people of many other nationalities united by our respect for the natural environment and our intolerance of repression, the misuse of power and the violation of human rights. Read More
Some articles on the blockades at Kárahnjúkar
Second blockade at Kárahnjúkar :
http://society.guardian.co.uk/societygua…
Second blockade at Kárahnjúkar :
http://www.icelandreview.com/icelandrevi…
First blockade at Kárahnjúkar :
http://www.icelandreview.com/icelandrevi…
Selective Justice at Kárahnjúkar Says Björk’s Father
Gudmundur Gunnarsson, leader of the Icelandic Electrician’s Union and Björk`s dad, attacks state over reaction to protests and lack of action on workers rights:
Iceland Review
8/03/2005
Father of Iceland’s most famous citizen criticized the government’s lack of initiative when worker’s rights are violated at Kárahnjúkar, the controversial hydro-electric development in East Iceland.
Impregilo, the Italian construction group building dams and tunnels at Kárahnúkar, has been allowed to break laws, for months at a time, says pop star Björk Gudmundsdóttir’s father, Gudmundur Gunnarsson, leader of the Icelandic Electrician’s Union. He believes that neither the police nor the government act when worker’s rights are violated but resources are always on hand during protests against the government-backed hydro-electric dam.
Gudmundur says that employees at the Kárahnúkar power plant have at times operated equipment without valid licenses, including driving without drivers licenses. Employees have been put in life threatening situations and violated in various ways. Impreglio has gotten away with repeatedly breaking the law which the government has chosen to ignore. Read More
The Protesters Have Relocated to Reykjavík
We have relocated to Reykjavik and the camp in the East of Iceland has been dissolved. We have accomplished what we set out to do in the East and are extending our campaign to the capital in spite of heavy state repression, police surveillance and harassment.
SAVE LANGISJÓR AND THJÓRSÁRVER
Many events are scheduled; the upcoming events are as follows: Read More
Photos from the Action in Reydarfjordur
The latest action to take place was a total success; a few protesters climbed the huge cranes at the building site of the Alcoa aluminium smelter in Reydarfjordur. Work was stopped for five hours on the whole of the site and the protesters managed to stretch a big banner saying: ALCOA PROFITS, ICELAND BLEEDS – ALCOA GRÆÐIR, ÍSLANDI BLÆÐIR. Of course the police went out of line again and showed unnecessary physical brutality against the protesters.
