INTERNATIONAL POLITICS-ICELAND:

WILL THE JOKE GO STALE ?:

While anarchists have often run farce candidates in various elections there are others who have done the same. The most famous Canadian examples were the Rhinoceros Party and the Workless Party, and in Britain the Raving Monster Looney Party had its day in the sun. The basic idea is to mock the regular political parties when all seem to be merely different sides of a disgusting mess. As such farce candidates offer a place to put "protest votes", something akin to a none-of-the-above option.

What happens, however, when the farce party actually wins. In Iceland people are particularly disillusioned with their political parties, and the 'Best Party' (Besti flokkurinn in Icelandic) was formed in 2009 by Jón Gnarr, a famous Icelandic comedian. From the beginning it promised to not honour its promises which included free towels in city swimming pools, a polar bear for the city zoo and a Disneyland at Vatsmyri, the airport of Reykjavik the country's capital. Armed with a quiver full of satire the Best Party went forth to battle the hated Icelandic politicians in the recent municipal elections.

As the polls trickled in, however, it became more and more clear that the Best Party might actually win. Shocked by this horrendous development party members scrambled to throw together an actual platform that was serious rather than farcical. You can read it at the Wikipedia entry on the Best Party. What was predicted came to pass. In Reykjavik the Best Party won the largest number of seats on the City Council (6 out of 15), and the jokers are confronted with the unenviable situation of actually being taken seriously. No worse fate could befall any comedian. The world waits with bated breath to see what jesters in power can do. Here's a brief news item about the event from the Reykjavik Grapevine.

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Final Results from City Elections
by Paul Nikolov

The final results of Reykjavík city elections are in. Of a possible 15 seats on city council, Jón Gnarr's Best Party has won six, the Independence Party won five, the Social Democrats won three, and the Leftist-Greens won one.

There was only a difference of 660 votes between the conservatives and Best Party, but this gave the latter the edge to get an extra man in. At the moment, the Best Party is currently in a meeting to decide what the next step is going to be.

Former mayor Hanna Birna Kristjándóttir was more than happy to point out the victories her party made in well-established conservative strongholds throughout the country, although the party took its shares of damages as well, such as in Reykjavík. The Social Democrats also got hit pretty hard, nationally speaking. The Leftist-Greens more or less held onto their own, but lost a seat in the capital. The Progressives fared worst of all in the capital area, only managing to get one of theirs in town council in Kópavogur and Álftanes.

Gnarr isn't yet giving away who he intends to form a majority coalition with, but has said he's willing to work with everybody. Social Democrat Dagur B. Eggertsson said that it would be a long shot working with the Independence Party, and Hanna Birna said that while her party could conceivably form a coalition with the Social Dems to form a majority, that wouldn't necessarily be in harmony with the will of the voters.

Talks on forming a majority, or an announcement of what form that majority will take, are still pending.

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS-CANADA/ICELAND:

MAGMA ENERGY WANTS STAKE IN ICELAND GEOTHERMAL ENERGY:

One has to say that Magma Holdings have hardly been slowed down by our present recession. One acquisition after another, some of them bargain hunting amongst the corporate terminal ward and others financed by what are actually some rather unstable financial arrangements. Some might call these acquisition tactics the "business of buzzards".

It now seems that one of Magma's branches, Magma Energy' is looking to acquire a major stake in geothermal energy development in the country of Iceland. Now most of us here in Canada when we think of geothermal energy envision the rather decentralized forms being built into many news homes and some business enterprises. This is the sort of small scale and highly competitive situation where prices move towards what might be termed fair and no one player is likely to acquire a monopoly position. Iceland, as a land of volcanoes and hotsprings, however, offers opportunity for development of this energy form on an industrial scale. In such a case large government-backed contracts take away the correcting hand of the market, and pricing (as well as sources of financing) become mere administrative fiats governed only by how much the players think they can get away with. It wouldn't take much to supply the home heating needs of Iceland, and the excess power generated by proposed large scale projects begs for the government to subsidized other large industry that might be potential customers for the energy excess.

Here from the Saving Iceland website is the down and dirty details about magma's proposal.

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Iceland’s Geothermal Energy to be Privatized? - Canadian Company Wants to Take Over H.S. Orka:
Magma Energy, a Canadian company, wants to buy a majority share in H.S. Orka, a geothermal energy company based on the Reykjanes peninsula. In July this year Magma Energy bought a 11% share in H.S. Orka from Geysir Green Energy (GGE) and therefor became the first foreign shareholder in an Icelandic energy company. The purchase was a part of a bigger agreement between Reykjanesbær and GGE, which resulted in GGE owning a little more than 50% of H.S. Orka. Around the purchase, Ross Beaty, Magma’s director stated that the company did not plan to become predominant in H.S. Orka or meddle with the management of the company’s power plants.

In the middle of August, Orkuveita Reykjavíkur (O.R. - e. Reykjavík Energy) decided to start discussion with Magma Energy about the latter’s purchase of O.R.’s share in H.S. Orka, which is 32% and would therefor give Magma 43% share in the company and the possibility of increasing it 5%. Magma has bought the very small shares of the communities of Sandgerði and Hafnarfjörður, amd has been discussing with communities like Vogar and Grindavík about buying their shares as well. If everything goes like planned, H.S. Orka, which e.g. is the biggest energy provider for the Century Aluminium’s planned smelter in Helguvík, will mostly be owned by to private companies; Magma and GGE, which will own c.a. half of the shares each.

Magma Energy was established in 2008 by Ross Beaty, an geologist and businessman. For decades, Beaty has been building up and operating mining companies, e.g. Pan American Silver Corp, a silver mining company that owns eight silver mines in Central and South America. Magma Energy has since its foundation bought 21 geothermal energy projects and over 200 hectares of lands in the U.S. and in Latin America, and officially plans to be the biggest and the best geothermal energy companies world wide.
Critique and opposition - No unity in government

Many critical voices have been raised in consideration of this issue. More then 100 people showed up to a public meeting in Grindavík last Tuesday evening, where the possible purchase was discussed. An unanimous assumption was sent out after the meeting, encouraging the state and municipalities to prevent the purchase from taking place. The government is adjured to mount guard around the country’s common resources, bearing in mind the long term benefits of people living here. The assumption also includes worries about GGE’s financial ability to take part in such a big commerce, since the company is heavily indebted and some of its major owners are on the tables of the former privatized banks’ resolution committees.

Steingrímur J. Sigfússon, minister of finance and the head of the Left Green party, agreed on meeting up with the public meeting’s representatives the day after. Sigfússon said that his opinions fit to the meeting’s assumption and that he would do what ever he can to stop the complete privatization of H.S. Orka from taking place. There is a huge opposition amongst Left Greens towards the privatization and members of the party have proposed that the state buys the share of Reykjavík Energy. Magma Energy’s director, Ross Beaty, has been meeting with Sigfússon to try to get him to relinquish that idea.

But there is not a united opinion about this between the two parties of the government; the Left Greens and Samfylkingin, the social democratic alliance. Many members of the latter one believe that the state is not capable of buying O.R.’s share in H.S. Orka, and the same opinion goes in the majority of Reykjavík City Council. According to the newspaper Fréttablaðið, there is a widespread opinion inside Samfylkingin about this impossibility, as well as worries about the International Monetary Fund (IMF) remarking on the idea of the state’s possible purchase
Who will be responsible?

In a commentary on Smugan, a left wing newspaper on the web, Björg Eva Erlendsdóttir, the page’s former editor, criticizes the privatization of Iceland’s natural resources. She says:

"Despite the privatization of the energy company it is pointed out that the resource is still the property of the public. Still, that does not concern the public at all if the right of utilization has been endorsed like was done with the fish in the ocean. Moreover, the fee for the utilization right is so low that revenues from the resource do not concern the public at all. The resource rent will go to the owner of H.S. Orka but not the public. The question about what it changes to keep the resource in the hands of the official has not been answered. Is it possible that the Icelandic nation will have to be responsible for the resource, just like it was for the privatized banks? If the resource will be overused or destroyed, who is then responsible for that? An energy company in public interest can obviously not become broke. It will be the Icelandic states role to take on the slam if things go badly."

And she continues, now comparing the situation to what Naomi Klein talks about in her book, The Shock Doctrine:





"Klein sets out a theory about that when societies come across huge shocks, big corporations and other power blocks use the opportunity to put into practice a systematic strategy where the property of the public is given to private parties on a silver plate for a embarrassing price. Much indicates that just now, the energy companies’ bad position after the economic collapse is being used and outsmarted in the shadow of the attention that has been put on the Icesave-contracts alone, to quickly finish the precess of privatizing H.S. Orka."
IMF’s leash on Iceland
Shortly after the collapse of the Icelandic economy in October/November last year, some people started to announce the death of capitalism; the theory and the practice. Others, e.g. local anarchists, pointed out the opposite: Now capitalism is developing and the best possible position for unchecked capitalism is being created. On a flier distributed by anarchists in one of the big weekly demonstrations against the government, the 1. of November 2008, this was e.g. stated:





"Iceland is a paradise for the International Monetary Fund. Here are unharnessed natural resources and a weak and impotent government on crutches - a puppet government for other governments. In addition to that, Icelandic resistance has always been little and attended by few. IMF’s menu for Iceland includes ungovernable destruction of glacial rivers and geothermal areas, and the privatization of social service and natural resources, including energy and drinking water."

Many others warned about IMF’s intervention here in Iceland. Many articles were written, telling the bloody story of IMF around the globe but the common idea here seemed to be that since Iceland did not count as a third world country, IMF’s behavior would be different here then elsewhere. The recent news about the privatization of H.S. Orka and the IMF’s intervention with the idea of the state’s purchase, are most likely only the first proves for these worries.
Incorporation and PR stunt

The most recent news are that the incorporation of Magma and GGE is likely to take place, which means that one foreign private company would own H.S. Orka completely. The companies’ representatives say that this idea has been lying on the table since the beginning of the two companies’ discussion. Riss Beaty says that he does not rule out the possibility of Magma owning a minority share in H.S. Orka if official parties would own the majority. But he says that it is far from being a preferable outcome; if Magma is not a majority owner, there would be a lack of interest and energy inside the company.

Beaty was interviewed in Kastljós, a news report show on the national TV station, yesterday night. He talked about how much of an “environmentalist” he is, how clean and renewable Iceland’s energy is, how he admired the Icelandic nation and that he would even want to learn Icelandic. What a stunt! When asked if he understood the public's mistrustfulness towards privatization after the collapse of the banks, he said he did but mentioned that the Icelandic people would have to understand what kind of company Magma is.

He repeated himself in an interview with Fréttablaðið, where he said: “We are not a scary company, we want to work with H.S. Orka in building up a stronger company, for the good of Icelanders, ourselves, and actually the whole world.” And he denied that Magma is getting itself into a group of companies who see an opportunity for an easy and shortly gotten growth by buying the ruins of Icelandic companies after the collapse.

Well, we have heard this kind of nonsense before, especially when it comes to the energy and aluminium industries. One can only hope that after the bank collapse and the parallel political, economical and media scandals that were discovered, people do not believe a single word from a rotten CEO like Ross Beaty.
More information about the issue later.

INTERNATIONAL ANARCHIST MOVEMENT-ICELAND:

PROTESTERS SHUT DOWN ALUMINUM SMELTER CONSTRUCTION IN ICELAND:

The following is from the Icelandic environmentalist site Saving Iceland. Whatever one may think about the general goals of groups such as Saving Iceland, one thing can be gleaned from what follows ie the way that so-called "green parties' rapidly shift their rhetoric when confronted by the realities of political power. In this they are no different from their confreres in such countries as Germany nor are they different from the long and sad history of "socialist" parties once they come to power. One more example, as if any were needed, that the political illusion is just that- an illusion.

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Saving Iceland Stops Work on Helguvík Smelter Site:
This morning(August 12-Molly), 20 people from Saving Iceland stopped work on the Norðuál/Century’s smelter construction site in Helguvík. People locked on to three vehicle gates in to the site and therefor stopped all traffic in and out of it. People also locked on to machinery on the site so the work was stopped for at least two hours. The construction in Helguvík has to be stopped to prevent further destruction of wilderness by the damming of glacial rivers and geothermal areas, as well as the global impacts of aluminium production.

Not so long ago, the government with Össur Skarphéðinsson (then Minister of Industry) in the front, made a special discount contract with Norðurál/Century, which was signed last Friday in the shadow of Saving Iceland’s green skyr throwing. (1) The contract includes financial support from the Icelandic state in the form of a tax discount that amounts to 16,2 million US dollars. Norðurál/Century is therefor free from paying industry fees, market fees and electricity safety fees as well as special rules will apply concerning stamp duty and planning fees, and about new taxes. (2)

The contract concerns a 360.000 ton aluminium smelter but the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) - made by HRV Engineering, one of the biggest interest party concerning aluminium and energy construction in Iceland (3) - only concerns 250.000 ton production per year. Apart from that, Norðurál/Century has only been received 150.000 ton Greenhouse Gases emission permits. This difference seems not to be standing in the way of a 360.000 ton smelter construction - as usual when it comes to this type of construction.

The more construction that takes place in the shortest amount of time, the more unlikely it is that the project will be stopped. Therefor, construction in Helguvík started long before all needed permits had been granted for the size of a smelter that Norðurál/Century plans to build. The energy for the smelter has not been found and the same story can be said about energy transportation. This kind of behavior can only been described as misuse of power and characterizes all discussion and construction connected to aluminium and energy issues here in Iceland.

The Damming of Þjórsá River is one of the Main Premises for Helguvík

Since the discussion about the Helguvík smelter started, environmentalists like Ómar Ragnarsson and Saving Iceland, have pointed out the obvious fact that if the geothermal areas on the Reykjanes peninsula will be exploited according to the plan, they will dry up completely. Also that this energy would still not be enough for Norðurál/Century’s planned 360.000 ton production. (4) Svandís Svavarsdóttir, the Minister of Evironment recently repeated the latter point in Parliament. (5)

Until now these concerns of environmentalists have been answered in the way that they are nothing but pure speculations and the environmentalists have been criticized for not basing their pleading on stronger arguments. Landsvirkjun’s (national energy company) statement about not selling more energy to aluminium smelters on the south-west corner of the country, which though did not give any promises about the moratorium of the planned Þjórsá River dams, strengthened the pleading of those who accused environmentalists of speculations. (6)

Now it is clear that environmentalists were right; the aluminium smelter in Helguvík and planned increased production in Rio Tinto-Alcan’s smelter in Straumsvík, are dependent on the Þjórsá River dams. A recent so-called convention of stability, signed by the authorities and the economy’s representatives, depends on the construction of those dams, according to recent announcements from A.S.Í. (one of Iceland’s biggest labour unions) and Samtök Iðnaðarins (The Industry’s Association), where it says that all obstacles that could possibly stand in the way of the construction have to be removed before the coming 1. of November. (7) Katrín Júlíusdóttir’s (Minister of Industry) recent comments about Landsvirkjun’s possible energy sale to Norðurál/Helguvík makes this proposal more likely, though she has never especially mentioned Þjórsá. Where else should the energy come from any way? (8)
Insignificant Jabber About Environmentalism as Prosperity Politics

From the beginning of the bank collapse, the voices stating that environmentalism does not fit in at times of economical depression, have become louder. Steingrímur J. Sigfússon, the head of Vinstri Grænir (the Left Greens), has now taken up the same argument and called the party’s environmental policy a puritan policy and said that it is not suitable for today’s conditions. (9) This has probably given up all hope for people who still believe in reforms within the representative democracy system. People wake up from a bad dream and realize that they need to do something themselves about it. According to recent news that seem to have started; the homes of moneybags, bank directors and people in high positions in the aluminium and energy business, have repeatedly been targeted with paint-bombs and super-glue.

In an article written by Sigfússon one year ago he said e.g. that the devotees of Icelandic nature could not surrender and then added: “The best and the most environmental friendly options to harness are in the minds of local people, in progressive thinking and open minds.” (10) These sudden opinion changes of Steingrímur go together with the Left Greens´changed behavior since the party got in power in the beginning of this year. The party´presence in government has showed and proved what happens to people when they get power - or simply what the Left Greens´real intendment was concerning environmentalism. The latter option is maybe not so far away from the truth as Kolbrún Halldórsdóttir (former Minister of Environment) was kicked out of the party for being to genuine environmentalist.

There is always the need for protection of the environment! There is always the need for radical ideas about protecting the natural environment - the protection of nature for the sake of nature. People can not be fooled by empty words about destruction of nature for increased economic growth and buildup of the Icelandic economy. Were these not the exactly the same argument as used to raise support for the construction of Kárahnjúkar Dam and Alcoa´s smelter in Reyðarfjörður? These projects lead to gigantic environmental damage and democracy deficit, which was nothing but an opinion repression. (11) Landsvirkjun´s debts because of the project are seriously heavy and when looked at how shamelessly the Icelandic government forced the debts of privatized banks on to the public´s shoulders, there is no sign of any difference if state owned companies like Landsvirkjun will become broke.

Our struggle continues; against the destruction of this planet in the name of financial growth and the humans’ domination over the natural environment. The nature is the premise for life, so as long as it is being threatened we must resist.
—
Resources:
(1) The Police Rough Up a Protester - The Media Helps Sustaining the Smear, an article on Saving Iceland’s webpage, http://savingiceland.puscii.nl/?p=4034&language=en

(2) News article on Smugan, www.smugan.is/frettir/frettir/nr/2258

(3) HRV has taken part in all of the major constructions connected to heavy industry in Iceland. See their web page: http://hrv.is/hrv/Projects/

(4) Helguvík þurrkar upp jarðhitann, frétt á Vísi.is, http://www.visir.is/article/200976386269…(5) News article on Mbl.is, http://www.mbl.is/mm/frettir/innlent/200…

(6) News article on á Mbl.is, http://mbl.is/mm/frettir/innlent/2009/01…

(7) News article on Vísir.is, http://www.visir.is/article/200945268709…

(8) News article on Mbl.is, http://mbl.is/mm/frettir/innlent/2009/07…

(9) An interview with Steingrímur J. Sigfússon in Kastljós, Thursday August 6th 2009, http://dagskra.ruv.is/sjonvarpid/4466688…

(10) Álhöfðunum lamið við steininn, an article by Steingrímur J. Sigfússon in Morgunblaðið, June 30th 2008

(11) ‘Green’ Deception Flops - A Statement from Saving Iceland Regarding Skyr Splashings of Election Offices, an article on Saving Iceland’s web page, http://savingiceland.puscii.nl/?p=3874&language=en
—
Probably related...
Frequently Asked Questions
Defending the Wild in the Land of Fire and Ice - Saving Iceland Takes Action
S.O.S. ISLANDE (Fr.)
S.O.S.
Saving Iceland stöðvar vinnu í Helguvík
Lögregla gengur í skrokk á konu – Fjölmiðlar taka þátt í rógburði
The Police Roughs Up a Protester – The Media Helps Sustaining the Smear

INTERNATIONAL ANARCHIST MOVEMENT-ICELAND:

ARRESTS AT ICELANDIC PROTESTS:

The following item is from the Saving Iceland website. In the past few days Saving Iceland has been escalating their protests against the development of aluminum smelting in their country. You can read more about the issue and their campaign at their website. Here's the story.

@E@E@E@E@E@E@E

Noisy Demonstration by the Police Station - Two More Arrested:
UPDATE: 04:30 - Everybody has been released.
After the brutal arrest of 5 people during a Saving Iceland protest today (read about it with clicking here), around thirty people gathered by the police station in Reykjavík to protest against the arrest of their comrades and the police violence. During the noisy demonstration, two more people were arrested after trying to blockade the fence of the parking lot by the station. According to witnesses, one of them was seriously injured by the police who beat him until he bled.

We have received no proper photos yet, but hope to be able to put them on the website as soon as possible, as well as more information.

INTERNATIONAL ANARCHIST MOVEMENT-ICELAND:

THE ICELANDIC ANARCHIST MOVEMENT LIVES:

Despite the recent quiet times as the governmental crisis has dissipated the anarchist movement in Iceland is still very much alive. Here's a report from the Saving Iceland site about a recent action in that country. A very creative action for sure, and full of irony. What attracts Molly is the architectural style of the Church on which the banner was hung. I swear to the Lord Jesus that I have never seen anything in any modern building that is so close to the style of building depicted in medieval depictions of the 'Tower of Babel'. Too strange ! How exactly does this building function as a "church" ? To me it looks like the wet dream of some American evangelist, or should I say "wet nightmare" ? I suppose that all would become plain with enough research. In any case, here's the article....

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“Dear Iceland: Fuck You! Yours Truly, Aluminium” - Banner Drop on the Biggest Church in Iceland:
Dear Iceland(ers).
This morning we, the Aluminium Industry, hung a banner on Hallgrímskirkja (the biggest church in Iceland) to finally express clearly what we have been trying to tell you all of the time. We decided that the methods of greenwashing and manipulation are no longer needed, since we obviously managed to convince you already about the glory of heavy industry.

We wanted the Icelandic Nation to fully understand, that we don’t care about anything else than our own advantages and of course our profit. We don’t care about the impacts of our actions, on people here in Iceland or elsewhere in the world. Many lives, human and non-human, have been effected by our work all over the globe:

***Whole tribes of indigenous people have lost their lives and/or livelihoods through a cultural genocides caused by our projects; bauxite mining, alumina refining, aluminium production, and transportation between continents. (1) (2)
***Earth-damage and pollution are constantly increasing as we keep trying to fulfill our never satisfying greed.
***Due to our major role in warfare and the military industry many people could feel the impact of aluminium on their own bodies… (3)
***We do not take responsibility for any of these things. (4)

Furthermore, the delight of working with the Icelandic authorities is definitely worth being mentioned – getting one of the cheapest energy in the world and being able to exploit the countries natural and human resources in return for nothing makes us feel very welcome. (5) (6)

Using the country and the naivete of some people who live here for our own good, is almost too easy. Anyway, we are thankful how well the cooperation worked and without a doubt we plan to go on in the future.

If there are still people in this country who don’t agree with our methods then we have only this to say: FUCK YOU! We are here to stay, so you better get used to it!
Profit, destruction and death!

Your sincerely, Aluminium.
Links and resources:

(1) Samarendra Das and Felix Padel, Agya, What Do You Mean by Development?, http://savingiceland.puscii.nl/?p=1029&language=en - see also by the same authors, Double Death - Aluminium’s Links with Genocide, http://savingiceland.puscii.nl/?p=602&am…

(2) Survival International’s webpage about the Dongria Kondh tribe in Orissa, India, http://www.survival-international.org/tr…

(3) Alcoa Defense, http://www.alcoa.com/defense/en/home.asp

(4) In an article by Erna Indriðadóttir, Alcoa’s P.R. Manager, she states that Alcoa only produces aluminium but has nothing to say about the future of it. The article was a response to articles that were written were Alcoa was said to be an arms producer. By only taking a look at the website of Alcoa Defense, one can see that Alcoa is a proud cooperator with the American army and several heavy-duty weapon producers. This is not the first and not the last time when Alcoa’s directors or workers here in Iceland try to hide the real facts about the company. Erna’s article can be found here: http://www.alcoa.com/iceland/ic/news/wha…

(5) An Agency of Industry and Energy and the National Power Company (1995), bæklingurinn Lowest Energy Prices!! In Europe For New Contracts

(6) News article on Mbl.is,
Probably related...
Hús Friðriks Sophussonar límt og málað
Friðrik Sophusson’s House Targeted With Paint and Glue
Nokkrar minniháttar aðgerðir í Reykjavík
A Number of Small Actions in Reykjavík
Saving Iceland Closes Nature Killer’s Offices
Saving Iceland lokar skrifstofum
Saving Iceland fagnar táknrænum skellum á stóriðjuflokkana

INTERNATIONAL ANARCHIST MOVEMENT-ICELAND:

AND YOU THOUGHT YOUR ELECTIONS WERE SHITTY...

The following item from the English language section of the Aftaka blog in Iceland tells of a new way that one's opinions about elections can be expressed. If elections make you feel down in the dumps, take a load off by dropping a load and eliminate your problem. Ah, the fertile(zer) imaginations of some people.

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Shit on the system!:

Elections took place in Iceland on Saturday, the 25th of April.
One voter decided to use his rights to vote. Showed up at the voting station and literally took a dump on the political party system, the power abuse and the general democracy distortion, wiped his ass on the ballot, neatly folded it and slipped into the ballot box.

HEHEHE
The video is here

INTERNATIONAL ANARCHIST MOVEMENT-ICELAND:

SQUAT IN REYKJAVIK AND ITS SUPPRESSION:

Molly is always inspired by the actions of the Icelandic anarchists. Here is a whole country with about half the population of the city in which Molly lives (which is hardly the throbbing, pulsating centre of the universe itself). Yet the Icelandic comrades played an important role in the overthrow of the previous government of that country, and they continue to grow and experiment. Here is the latest report of one of their actions from the English language section of the Icelandic anarchist blog Aftaka.

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Anarchists Squat in the Center of Reykjavík:
Last Thursday, 9th of April, an empty house in the center of Reykjavík was squatted by Icelandic anarchists. The house has been empty for over a year and is only one of many houses that are owned by a construction company that plans to tear down all it’s old houses and replace with big shopping and office center.

When inside the house, the squatters cleaned a part of the house and opened it up for an opening party. Food was served, music played and talks given on the ideas behind squatting. The party was well attended and met with positive reactions by the guests, including the neighbours.

During the next days the squatters finished cleaning the house and started organizing it as a social center. A free-shop was set up as well as a little infoshop with radical literature, a D.I.Y. (Do It Yourself!) publisher/label and a communal kitchen. On Saturday there was an open day where the local Food Not Bombs collective served food and guests were welcomed to take a look at the space and share their ideas about how the social center can be used.

This letter was sent out by the squatters:
A social center has been squatted at Vatnsstígur 4.

Empty houses stand everywhere; houses that were supposed to be torn down for the building of shopping malls, houses that were supposed to be rented out on sky-high prices, houses that were supposed to make the rich even richer and the society culturally poorer.

We did not ask for permission to use this house. We do not need permission from those who think they can boss around with lives and land in the name of finance. We do not take part in that system.

We take what rightly is ours and in this house we will create a social space where people can meet and use it in the way they think matters, e.g. organizing info-nights and lectures, cooking food, start reading circles, attending political activities and do all kinds of arts.

The space will be open to all those who want to work towards radical changes on the money-driven society we live in.

The capitalistic democracy like we know it, is in fact only one more power structure, designed to boss around with people and make money by it. People are taught that it is the only just system that the human being has ever created around itself, but that is not true. Inside the democracy the majority represses the minority and only very few people end up on the top of the power pyramid, at the expense of the majority. For every prime minister there are millions who are not. Consensus decision making is a method that anarchists and other radicals use to get decisions inside groups, small and big, instead of the democracy’s majority elections. We use the opportunity to create alternatives, instead of only choosing between them.

Capitalism gives people or companies the change to own houses but let them stand empty, even though many people need homes and other places to stay. The banks own most of the empty houses and the public is supposed to pay for the games of lies that was accepted “before the collapse”. We will not pay for them!

This squat is headed towards authority, capitalism and all kinds of power playing. Our house will be free from the current Icelandic authorities and free from any kind of power structures on our behalf.

We, the people, toppled the former government and we are far away from having finished the deconstruction of the system of inequality and greed, as well as the parallel construction of the society we want to live in. We encourage others to refuse to pay for the banks’ debts, refuse to leave their own houses and start squatting!

Threat of eviction Yesterday, Tuesday April 14th, the paper-owners of the house came along with civil-dressed policemen and announced that the house would have to be empty at 16:00. With very short notice the squatters barricaded the house and asked for a solidarity demonstration to take place in front of the house. Around 15:00 people starting coming, a fire was lit, drums played and slogans shouted in favor of the squatters. Couple of hundreds of people attended the demonstration and the free shop was opened.

A speech was held by one of the squatters:
This is what we call solidarity!
It is amazing to see you all here today. This is what we call solidarity! We who have squatted this house are going to change the society we live in. A part of it is to protect this house; a house that was supposed to enter the gob of the capital since a shopping mall was planned to be built on this spot.

Now this house belongs to us - the people here inside and those who stand outside - and will be used for our revolution. To destroy this society’s power structures we need a revolution - not elections! Today, we who are inside and you who stand outside in this disgusting weather, stopped the corporate scum from getting their way with the violence that only them have the right to use.

But since the police is not going to be sent towards us now, the government will send it tonight, tomorrow, later in the week or after elections. No matter if we will be thrown out or if we will be aloud to stay, we will get stronger. This house is ours! The struggle is ours; a struggle against authority and capitalism.

The revolution is - and has to be - international. With this squat we announce our support and solidarity with the oppressed people living in Palestine and their siblings on the other side of the wall, Anarchists Against the Wall; the Zapatista resistance movement in Mexico; the Polish squatters in the Rozbrat-squat in Poznan; Mumia Abu Jamal, Rod Coronado and all other political prisoners in the U.S.; the Dongria Kondh tribe in Orissa, India, who fight against bauxite mining… and all other people and/or movements that fight against power abuse, corruption, capitalism, exploitation, oppression and violence - all around the world.

Squatting is one part of the revolution and therefor we encourage everybody to squat houses; take over empty houses or refuse to leave their own house.
Long live the revolution!

The squatters at Vatnsstígur 4.

In the end the police did not show up. The reason is unknown but the threat of eviction still remains. The squat has received very good coverage by the mainstream media and of course by the alternative ones. It has lead to big support and the squatters hope that the solidarity continues as the threat gets even bigger.

Until later.


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A video from the demonstration can be seen by clicking here.
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Unfortunately the squat in Reykjavik didn't last long. here is a follow-up from the Aftaka Blog about its suppression. As I said in the introduction to this post it is part of the essence of anarchism to be experimental ie "scientific" by testing various hypotheses against reality. In this it differs from ideologies such as Marxism that always try and fit reality to a pre-existing system of ideas. For anarchists, if one thing doesn't work, then try another. There is no absolute reason why squats cannot "work". There are many arguments about their importance and how they should be organized and presented to the surrounding society. This, of course, is part of the "experiment", and it is to anarchism's credit that it is open to seeing what works and what doesn't, and the "why" of both.

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The Squat Evicted - Two Hours of Resistance Against the Special Force :
After a whole day of the threat of an eviction, solidarity demonstration and support, the police finally showed up at the recently opened squat in the center of Reykjavík. At 08:00 in the morning between 40 and 50 policemen, including many members of the special force, came towards the house, attacked and arrested three people who were standing outside, sweeping the ground around the house. The squatters inside were told to leave the building and if not, they would get arrested. Of course, they refused to leave.

The police authorities might have believed that by coming early in the morning, the eviction would not get any attention and support. But they were wrong. Very soon, the neighborhood was crowded with people who came to follow what was happening and to show solidarity with the squatters. Many of the neighbors had already announced their support with the squat and denounced the plans to build shopping and office spaces on the spot.

The police closed the nearby streets and started attacking the house but the squatters had built proper barricades on all floors. When the police tried to enter the house from the back, they were met with expired dairy products that were thrown at them. After a bit of a struggle they finally got on to the first floor were nobody was. The squatters had barricaded the second floor extensively, so well that it took the special force two hours to get through, by using chain saws. All of the police’s attempts to get through were met with resistance; more things and liquids were thrown at them and sticks were used to push them down the stairs of the building.

During the police’s entry attempt the squatters held speeches through the windows. Statements against capitalists and authority were read out and the public was encouraged to take direct action against these violent forces of corruption.

“In this society, the most easy thing is to be silent; to stay behind the yellow police line and stand still; to stay at home and obey to authorities’ orders. That behavior leads to personal comfort. And isolated and personal comfort seems to be the main goals of many people’s lives.
The financial crisis are not the problem. The period of prosperity is the problem! It spoiled and silenced the public; it killed every sign of resistance.

We squatted this house as an act of resistance. Do the same - again and again and again. That’s how we change this society.”

The police’s struggle became harder and harder, since the resistance was to heavy for them. Every time the chainsaw became visible to the squatters, it was immediately attacked; every time it looked more like the police was getting on to the second floor, the heavier did the barricade become.

After two hours of struggling the police finally managed to enter the second floor. The squatters resisted but were attacked with peeper spray and violent behavior by the police. They were all handcuffed and put on the floor, while the police broke every second window of the house without any noticeable reason. The squatters were carried out and thrown into police vans, which were supposed to drive them to the police station. But supporters from the outside sat down and blockaded the street, with the purpose to stop the cars from getting their way, but were removed quickly.

A photographer was pulled out of the crowd by the police, dragged on the ground and half undressed. When he asked the police for the reason of his arrest he was told that it was because he had spat on a policeman in a protest by the parliament in January. Witnesses say it was obvious that the photographer was arrested because of how closely he photographed the police actions and how loudly he protested against it.

The squatters were driven to the police station were they were interviewed and kept there for up to 5 hours. Many of the arrested had breathing problems because of the pepper spray and one of them had been brutally attacked by a policemen. When being carried out of the squat, one of the policemen who was holding the squatter by her throat, kicked her head heavily to the door. In the police station the squatter was refused medical treatment if she would not give out her security number. Well, this is not a surprise; in the capitalistic democracy one does not deserve medical treatment except fitting to the regulations of this system of surveillance.

At the same time people had gathered by the police station to protest against the arrests and to show solidarity with the squatters. A black flag was pulled up on a flag pole in front of the police station and music played from a ghetto blaster. After several hours the arrested started to appear out of the station and were welcomed by the crowd, interviewed by the the media and fed by its supporters.

One of the squatters had a photo camera inside during the eviction, which was taken from her when she was arrested. She was refused to get it back when she was released but finally got it the day after. Then, the police had deleted all the photos from the camera. But the policemen are more stupid then they look like… and the photos are back. Many of them decorate this article.

The squat and all the public attention around it has brought up the necessary discussion about the conflict between property rights and the right to use. In the current atmosphere in Iceland, after the collapse of the economy, this discussion is way more positive than one could have believed. The banks own most of the empty houses and the banks are for sure not the most popular right now. The squat got heavy support from all directions, likely and unlikely, and showed that this is the time to start a squatting movement. The squatters of Vatnsstígur are far away from retiring.

A statement from the squatters will be published soon.

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Molly urges her readers to go to the Aftaka Blog for many photos of both the squat and its suppression. If one thing can be said for the Icelandic anarchists it is that they truly love to take pictures...and they do it well.

INTERNATIONAL ANARCHIST MOVEMENT-ICELAND:

ANARCHISM-ENTERING THE LANGUAGE:

The protests in Iceland have subsided as people there seem willing to wait patiently to see if their present social democratic government can do any better than the previous conservative one. Yet something new has entered into the awareness of Icelanders, the idea of "anarchism". This has come about because of the sterling efforts of Icelandic anarchists during the protests that led to the fall of the government. As the story below, from the Icelandic website Aftaka, details the idea of anarchism has virtually entered the Icelandic language because of these recent events. True to form the representatives of the state attempt to control what this word means, to give their own version of the anarchists. No matter that their version bears little resemblance to what the anarchist movement actually is. Here's the article.

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Denial and Ignorance:
A new word in the Icelandic vocabulary: Anarchism. An article by Aftaka appeared in the newest issue of Reykjavík Grapevine.

Not long ago, the word anarchism was almost meaningless in Icelandic. It hardly existed. But now it seems that it has received a seat in the language and better yet—it is getting more and wider understanding. The reason must be the growing movement of anarchists and their visibility during protests and actions concerning the economic collapse.

Many people’s first reactions to new words and ideas are ignorance and denial, especially when the ideas challenge and defy the society’s standards and traditions—when the “truth” is doubted. Anarchists state and argue that something is wrong with the current social structure. This causes disturbance that constantly expands when people realise that the anarchists are right… it is inconvenient having to change the “truth”. One way to ignore this disturbance, not updating one’s mind and adapting to new and changed ideas, is to pretend that these ideas don’t exist. Another way is to run them down, remove all ideals and ideologies.

The February issue of Grapevine included an interview with police officers who took part in the police actions during the January revolt. Talking about the more radical part of the protesters, a police officer titled ‘Senior Policeman’ says: “It all starts with a group that connects itself with anarchism, although I don’t believe there is much behind that.” He continues and says that by looking at the group of anarchists he can’t imagine that they are badly situated financially and adds that he would have liked to see more people in his age at the protests, indebted people who have families to support.

Wait a moment; there is something wrong here: (1.) How can he, by looking over a crowd, see if people have financial problems or not? (2.) How does he know that anarchists don’t have families to support? (3.) Not being indebted is a sign of rationalism and lack of participation in the consumerism that characterised a majority of the Icelandic nation during last years and which sucked out critical thinking and people’s desire of autonomy. (4.) Not being indebted doesn’t take away one’s freedom to resists against a corrupt and incompetent government (not meaning people’s constitutional “right” to protest but every living being’s unwritten right to defend itself). (5.) Not nearly everybody is protesting against the crisis and asking for new period of prosperity. No! Some people always saw (and still see) through the so-called prosperity and still see the class divisions, injustice and corruption that the prosperity period created and sustained. These people protest and fight against capitalism, not the crisis!

The police officer’s words mark the narrow mindsets and lack of ideals that last years’ social situation lead to. The sentence here above – “although I don’t believe there is much behind that” – is a schoolbook example of denial and ignorance.

But these words are not only the police officers’. Anarchism is constantly dismissed like this—ignored before properly considered. That’s a childish behaviour that shows the lack of will to learn and get to know things’ from a variety of perspectives; a lack of will to always have an open mind, challenge the “truth” and consider nothing as holy; a lack of will to improve the society. It shows the success of authorities’ silencing campaigns; how well they have managed to create a society of ideological stagnation, with the help of corporations, PR managers and advertisement offices.

We could turn this around and state that in the society there is “a group that connects itself with capitalism, but there is not much behind that!” But this statement is wrong. Capitalism builds on the idea that an individual’s freedom is to do business, buy and sell without authorities’ interventions. It is based on greed, acceptance of class divisions, injustice, individuals’ different values inside the society and the unequal distribution of resources. It builds on oppression, exploitation, deprivation of freedom (yes, people’s freedom is constantly deprived in the name of other’s business freedom) violence and imprisonment.

Therefore it is impossible to deal with capitalism in this manner, as well as anarchism. No ideology, philosophy and form of organisation can be dealt with in this manner. But since anarchist ideas are new for many people and these ideas challenge the society’s fundamental values, people repeatedly try to ignore them, hoping they will get lost and forgotten forever.

In the end, it wouldn’t matter at all if ‘Senior Policeman’ would study anarchism and agree with some of its ideas. His statement would stay unchanged because it’s a part of his job to state this to protect authorities and break down everything that threatens their position. A police officer would never accept the legitimacy of anarchist ideas. However, that does not change the fact that his words and the way he dismisses challenging ideas is exactly how authorities want the whole society to behave. That is something that we anarchists fight against!

INTERNATIONAL ANARCHIST MOVEMENT-ICELAND:

PROTEST CONTINUES IN ICELAND:

While the new social democratic/leftist government of Iceland marks time, attempting to prove that it can do better than the previous conservative government at saving Iceland's economy (a questionable proposition), the invigorated Icelandic anarchist movement continues with the tradition of protest that recent events in that country have given birth to. The following is a recent report from the English language section of the Icelandic anarchist site Aftaka.

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(re)Claim the Streets:
A political street party took place on Lækjartorg square in Reykjavík last Saturday. Over a hundred people came together, lit a fire, put on music and had fun… until the police arrived and put out the fire. Then another fire was lit and people had fun… until the police came again, put out the fire, confiscated the stereo system and arrested people. But the people stood united and the event was a good start for further resistance.













Lighting fires, hitting pots and pans, putting on loud music and dancing is a continuation of the January uprising. Until the banks collapsed last October Icelandic protests were pitiful. The authorities orders for peaceful protests were so thoroughly ingrained into the Icelandic people that nothing was allowed. The protests signs were polite as were the speeches(Molly has to interject here. She has a vision. A protest sign that reads "Die Scum Sucking Government Dogs! Please and Thank You!), but these two things – signs and speeches – were the only weapons the resistance was allowed to use, if you can even call it resistance. The so called radicals got satisfaction from discussing the NATO fight in 1949 but did not dream of anything like that happening again.










This is why the enslaved nation foamed at the mouth in 2005 when the people from Saving Iceland (a direct action environmental campaign) took to the mountains, locked themselves to machinery, climbed up into cranes and stormed offices of companies that were connected to the building of the big, ugly and terribly destructive Kárahnjúkar dam. People had never witnessed behavior like this and did not even know it existed; the history of international resistance and practices were a closed book. This was why it was considered news worthy when there was a possibility that some of those that showed physical resistance at Kárahnjúkar had also been at the annual G8 protests.












But now Icelanders are learning, they have gotten to know fire, noise, disobedience and real opposition.










In July 2007 Saving Iceland organized a street party called Rave Against the Machine - Street Party Against Heavy Industry. The group walked from Perlan (a fancy tourist center) and down a heavy traffic street called Snorrabraut, dancing to the music of the resistance. Emma Goldman´s famous words “If I can’t dance, it’s not my revolution” were a guiding light. In there crazed dance against complete heavy industrialization of Iceland the group towards Laugavegur (Reykjavík’s main shopping street) when the police took up positions in front of the group and held the group there for two hours, not having the slightest idea what they were supposed to do. Finally they decided to arrest a few people, a decision that led to physical conflict between police and protesters - the first political physical struggle in Iceland for a very long time.













Actions like these are very similar to the older international tradition which goes by the name Reclaim the Streets, which focuses on taking over public spaces for parties, protests or better: both. Notice the word public spaces. That is what they are called, open spaces within the city but they are not more public than so, that you need permission from the authorities to use them. Reclaiming the streets (or in our case claiming them as they have never been ours) is part of battle for a society organized by the people, themselves, a society free from a pyramid shaped division of authority. Taking over the streets is part of the freeing of each and every person from the yoke of the authorities.










Last Saturday history repeated itself. Word spread online that there was to be a street party at Lækjartorg square on Saturday evening and the reason given was the police attempts to silence the protesters at the central bank during the previous week. As is well known in Iceland the police have been handing out fliers with laws regarding the amplification of sound, playing instruments and noise in public areas. An air pressure powered horn was taken into custody and put on probation. With this the police was attempting to finally silence the newly born resistance.




At 10 pm people gathered at Lækjartorg, lit a fire, listened to music and had some fun. Shortly later the police and the fire department arrived to put out the fire of the revolution. They succeeded and an unlucky city worker had to collect the remains of the fire. When the city worker was just about to drive off some people ran to the truck and dragged off a pallet to set alight again. The 2 police men who were still there went to the people who decided to protect the pallet by standing on it. It was painfully funny to see the 2 policemen try to drag the pallet from underneath 20 people who stood on it and refused to move.













The music was put on full blast and shortly later there was another even better fire. The two policemen tried desperately to get to the fire, drag the pallets away and put it out… without success. The party goers were very determined not to let the police ruin the fun and the resistance, people defended the fire with passion. Slowly more police men joined the ones already there and started tearing at peoples hair, beating people with batons but at the same time more people had also arrived. The peoples unity was fantastic (at least better than ever before in Iceland) and it is certain that several arrests were prevented by physical battle with the police.










Finally, aided by a wall of dozens of police officers – the fire department managed to put out the fire but the people enthusiastically responded.










“Who owns the streets? We own the streets! Who owns the party? We own the party! Who owns the city? We own the city! Who owns the resistance? We own the resistance!”










The song carried around central Reykjavik and continued:










“Who’s streets? Our streets! Who’s resistance? Our resistance! Who can scream? We can scream! Who can fight? We can fight!”










The noise continued and got greater when the police grabbed peoples sound system in a failed attempt to stop the music. People gathered around the police car and prevented it from driving away with the sound system. The driver then decided to drive into those that where standing in front of it. At that point the army of police had re-appeared with there batons and an ambulance was waiting across the street.










After some conflict, beatings and threats of arresting everyone wearing masks the police officers legged it but with two persons in tow. One had stood in front of the police car and the other committed no other offense than being at the party. They were released after 12 hours at the police station.










The nights message was that the revolution is not over, it is just beginning. The authorities will not be able to silence the people’s resistance with force and abuse of power. People will continue their opposition with more focused actions, by taking over the streets and turning them to self controlled areas, free from the authorities interference and oppression. Actions are here to stay.


Demand the Streets! -Take the Streets!
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Molly Notes:

I really have to add a postscript. This whole scenario takes me way back to 1969. At the time we were having our own "riots" in the city where I lived at the time. Poor little Molly was one of 8 people arrested during one incident. None of the 8 (myself included), by the way, were participants in the "riot". I got nailed by a police blackjack on the back of the head while "trying to be in place where I could be guilty". In other words innocent as fresh fallen snow. Long story.

What was relevant to this sort of thing today was a meeting that I attended after the events. There were basically two sides in the meeting. the young folks were gung-ho on "The Revolution" and believed that going back to fight the cops was the very same thing as "The Revolution". I might mention that the riots of that day were usually proportionately stronger than what we see today, not just in Iceland but in other countries that are presently being mythologized. The old folks, most of whom are probably long dead by now, knew better. They had a clear idea of what revolution actually meant.




So...no matter how much I may admire the spirit of the Icelandic anarchists I have to say the following words of caution. There is a certain ideological trend in anarchism(most prominently expressed in the USA) today that is very much in favour of keeping younger anarchists in a state of "perpetual childhood". For their own reasons they want people to believe that streets fights against the police, almost always losing battles except for a few minor ego-boo points, are "The Revolution". For their own reasons they are lying through their teeth.




In a real revolution street battles are, at best, a trigger. They may actually never occur. An actual revolution involves the rapid replacement of one social and economic order by another. Revolutions, especially libertarian ones, are made in the workplace and the neighbourhoods in assembly. They presuppose not just rejection of the present order (in its totality and not just "the police") but also a vision of how society could be ordered differently. A vision hopefully shared by a majority of the population but at least carried by a large minority with the passive acquiescence of the majority.




A revolution is a much more serious and widespread matter than fighting police. It requires an understanding of, sympathy for and the willingness to help the general population to recover their traditions and use them to create a new socioeconomic order. It certainly says that one shouldn't have contempt for the ordinary person. These people are the real "revolutionaries", those who will actually do revolution, something that is quite different from confronting the police. In a revolutionary situation the police basically become irrelevant. At best they desert to the die of the people.




A revolution demands at least a somewhat coherent plan as to how society can run in a different way. It is a matter of organization and long term propagation of this idea amongst ordinary people who will inevitably outdo the plans of the revolutionists by their actions and organization. So...I hate to say this but "The Revolution" is still a very long way off. By all means keep up the ferment, but recognize the long term task as well. If the social democrats and the leftists fail, as they are likely to do, it is incumbent upon anarchists to at least have a sketchy plan that might be better than what the governmentalists have. It is even more important to begin now to build the sort of anarchist organization that can outlive the present crisis and be an inspiration for generations yet to come.




It is a joy to me to see the growth of anarchism in such an unlikely country as Iceland. It would, however, make me even happier to see something lasting built.

INTERNATIONAL ANARCHIST MOVEMENT-ICELAND:

DON'T TALK BACK TO AUTHORITY:

The following is from the English language section of the Icelandic anarchist site Aftaka. The revolt in Iceland which toppled that country's conservative government is presently in a "holding pattern" as the new leftist coalition tries to govern in a way more beneficial to the average person than their rivals. Time will tell if they will do any better.

Meanwhile, as reported earlier on this blog the Icelandic police have mounted what is actually a truly bizarre publicity campaign to try and recover the image that they lost because of their violent response to the protesters. In sum they send their "community relations" officers from youth centre to youth centre, forcing young people to listen to their excuses and justifying their actions to a captive audience. To say the least this sort of campaign has great potential for "blowback". The police target protesters in general and anarchists specifically in their propaganda. Here's the story from Aftaka. The following has been slightly edited for English grammar.

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“Social Center Workers Have No Opinion” :
The police are now traveling between teen social centers with an image and propaganda campaign following the criticism the police has received relating to the protests that toppled the government. Aftaka is covering the story and you can read our first coverage by clicking here. We now continue and this time we contacted a staff member of one of the social centers in Kópavogur (a town close to Reykjavík) and asked for answers to a few questions regarding the case.
Q: Can you briefly tell us what happened that evening at the social center you work at?

“There was an open evening at the social center like it usually is twice a week. In the middle of the evening two uniformed police officers arrived, a man and a woman and started herding the kids from the games they where playing and into the common room.

A lot of the kids were not interested in listening to the cops but did not have the choice of playing games until after the police had left. I thought they were maybe there for a drug prevention talk or something like that, which the police sometimes hosts on evenings like this. I was very surprised when I learned why they were there and what they were going to discuss with the kids. I was even more surprised when I heard they were at times telling lies and using direct propaganda. I could not keep quiet any longer and started asking uncomfortable questions that they had difficulty answering. When the police left the time was over; no times for games because we had to close the place”

Q:Do you now who planned the visit, who initiated it?

“That was rather unclear when I tried to get answers. Originally my boss said she had voiced this idea to the project manager for youth recreational activities and was therefore behind this but later they spoke as if it had been the project manager for youth recreational activities in cooperation with the police who had been behind this.”
Q: Was the police visit discussed with the staff beforehand?
“No, I was very angry about this and when I asked why it had not been discussed my boss told me it was because the visit was supposed to be a surprise. I ask myself why.”

Q:What were your questions to the police? What was the response from the police to your critical questions? And what were your co-workers and bosses reactions?

“When I was offended by how dramatic they were about the fact that two police officers had to go to the emergency room because of injuries “caused by protesters” as they put it, I simply asked if they knew how many protesters had to go to the emergency room injured by the police. They then turned the discussion to the police not being able to injure people, the tools they used did not injure people and that pepper spray was just a little uncomfortable, like one had been crying for a while.

Later I asked them if they did not find it incredible for the kids to get answers such as “do you really believe that…?” - usually said with a smirk – each time a question arose that concerned the police doing something wrong as if everybody was lying about the police.

The discussion then turned to the 11 year old boy who was arrested and then I asked if they thought it was OK to arrest an 11 year old child”

Q:How did the kids react? Did any of them ask critical questions?

“The kids are 13-16 years old. Some of them had been at the protests and they asked all kinds of questions and protested. As the evening wore on I felt like this was lessening because the police then made light of the person asking by smirking and acting like that person was stupid for believing anything bad about the police.”
Q:What was the aftermath, have you discussed this further with the head of the social center? Did you have any problems because of your behavior?

“At the end of the evening my co-worker judged me for having asked those questions and having had a bad influence on their relationship to and their image of the police, I should just call the police and ask questions then. But my curiosity was of course not the reason I did this. The reason was that I was outraged because of what they were telling the kids

I sent my boss an email right away in which I protested this event. She called me and told me that social center workers should not have opinions and that the kids should not get an image of me as “some crazy protester” as she worded it. The next time I came to work she gave me the phone number of the project manager for youth recreational activities and told me that I had to settle this with her but from now on I had to be aware that my opinions were to be left at home when I came to work.”(But I guess that pro-police opinions are obviously let in the door with no checking them at home-Molly)

Q:Finally, do you know how wide spread this campaign is supposed to be? How many social centers have they been to and how many more will they go to?

“I know that the plan was to go to all the teen social centers in Kópavogur and that they have gone to others, but I don´t know how many.”