Saturday protest Reykjavik - Iceland january 31 2009

Protesters are still not happy here in Iceland.
The weekly saturday protest was held today in downtown Reykjavik.
Ans this weekend ,they two parties have not yet formed a goverment,and the last goverment has quit.
So technically,there is no working goverment in Iceland this weekend.
Few thousand people attended,and free food was available,and choir sang Icelandic songs,before the speaches where made.

And still demending election soon ,and that the CEO of the Central bank be fired.
New goverment,and new controllers of the central bank.

No police officers where near the protest.
And it was a very peaceful protest,and shows that peaceful protests get the attention of the goverment.

Iceland become Canadas 11th province ?

The National Post ,in Canada ,has suggested ,that they ( Canada ) so-hould buy Iceland .
When things go bankrupt ,then it is often sold to someone who could make it better.
and Canada could use the location of Iceland ,for their claims in the north atlantic.
Here is the article
And today ,there is yet another protest .
The weekly saturday protest ,and hopefully,peaceful.
I will be there with my little video camera.

No goverment this weekend in Iceland ?

I took this video today ,and the first clip ,is taken at 11:00 this morning - the sun is rising higher in the sky.

And it shows the winter here in Iceland - snow and minus 5 on the celcius
And the second part,the ravens - looks like the political climate these days in Iceland.

New goverment is about to be formed,but one of the parties that was going to support in parliement,is not happy.

They have seen the goverment agreement,between the two parties , the Sicial democratic alliance and the Left Green Movement,and the party ,( framsoknarflokkurinn ) the old farmers party ( dont know their name in engish, is coming in with demands ,for changes in the agreemnet.

And the goverment that was before - has gone,quit,so ,technically,Iceland has no goverment this weekend.

New Goverment in Iceland ,next saturday ,But still protests

Next goverment will probably start next saturday.
The two parties that will form it are - Social democratic Alliance ( SDA ) and the Left Green Movement ( LGM )
Chairman of the SDA ,will not take part in the goverment ,since she is recovering from a surgery she had .
THe Prime minister will be - Johanna Sigurdardottir ( SDA )
The chairman of the LGM ,is Steingrimur J. Sigfusson.
They will also have the support of the two other parties ,but they will not get ministers seats.

But protest will still be on saturday, and mabey hugs will be distributed ,free.

Unemployment is on the rise.
It is now about 13.000 people ,and belived to go up to 20.000 next spring.
The unemployment fund ,is going fast.
And they think that it will be empty this year.

Protest against NATO over in Reykjavik.

Protest against NATO in Reykajvik tonight is over.
Few protesters were at Hotel Nordica,were NATO was holding a ceminar.
Protests against NATO, dates back to 1949,when parliement voted to join NATO.
Then there was a riot in front of the parliement building.
Tear gas was used ,and many people got hurt.
Here is a video from 1949,it is from the Icelandic news ,and in the middle of the clip ,you can see the riot in 1949.And after that ,when the US army had a base in Iceland in ICeland,there where regular protests against NATO and the US military in Iceland.
Click on the photo ,and it will get bigger,taken tonight at Hotel Nordica.

Protesters against NATO in Reykjavik

Now protesters are protesting at Hotel Nordica ,where NATO is holding a ceminar.
Police just had to use pepperspray against the protesters .
Few protesters have been arrested so far.

There are about 70 protesters and cimilar number of Police at the Hotel.

Next prime minister Gay in Iceland ?

Now - Social demcratic alliance ( SDA ) is negotiating with the Left Green Movement ( LGM ) ,on a new goverment treaty.
If they agree ,then the new goverments Prime minsiter will be Johanna Sigurdardottir.
That could make her the first gay prime minister in the world.
Two other parties will support them ,but will not get any minister seats.

The vice chairman of the SDA ,Agust Olafur Agustsson,has decided ,to resign his post as vice chairman and not run for the parliement in the next election.
He says that he is going to school in a foreign country.

New goverment in Iceland ?

president of Iceland has given SDA party chairman,the power to try to form a new goverment today.
Ingibjorg ( SDA ) is talking to the leader of the Left Green party,and they hope to form a goverment before next weekend.

Battle for the seats in the Icelandic goverment.

Ingigbjorg S. Gisladottir ( SDA ) foreing secretary and chairman of the SDA party had demaded that ,Johanna Sigurdardotti ,minister of social and insurance,be Prime minister.
That the Independence party could not accept,and that is why the govermnet had to resign.
Now, Ingibjorg ,has offerd the pther parties the same offer,where Johanna would lead the goverment until the elections may 9th.
National goverment ( every party takes part in that ) is the best soultuion ,says Geir Haarde,but under his control ,he says.
Sigrun blames the Independence party,for much of the economic collapse .
looks like everybody is fighting for chairs in the goverment,but not on how to save the economy

,and the people of Iceland.
People who are now protesting ,say that they dont like the arrogance of the ministers.
They should be trying to find a solution for the crisis, not arguing who gets the prime minster chair.

Icelandic goverment crumbles today.

The icelandic goverment resigned today ,during the economic crisis that is in Iceland.
This morning ,both goverment parties ,Independence party and Social democratic alliance ( SDA ) had meetings ,and at around 13:00 hours ( gmt ) prime minister Geir Haarde,( independence party ) told at a press meeting ,that the goverment had resigned.
Foreign secretary and party chairman to the SDA ,Ingibjorg S. Gisladottir , told the press ,that she wanted to have on of the ministers in her party ,to be Prime minister.
Geir Haarde could not accept that proposal.

At 16:00 hours he went to the President of Iceland ,and told him formally that goverment would resign.

The president told the press,that he would talk to evry party chairmen tonight . And see what ideas they had for the future of the ICelandic goverment.

Lots of people are now in front of Parliement ,celebrating the fall of the Icealndic goverment

Minister of Business Affairs resigns today in Iceland

Today ,Minister of Business Affairs ,Bjorgvin G. Sigurdsson,resigned .
Today there was also a protest ,against the violence last week in Reykjavik.
He alsodismissed the head of the country's financial supervisory authority Saturday night before he left office, and requested the resignations of the entire board of the agency.

It was in support of the Police force in Reykjavik.
At the protest yeterday,there was lots of hugs and flowers,and some of the protesters where offering gree hugs to the public.
You can see that on the video i took yesterday.

Peaceful protest today in Reykjavik - january 24 2009 iceland

Saturday potest where today in Reykjavik.
And after the protests in the middle of the week,and the violence by protesters,that got the public angry, so today - peace was the motto of the day.
Before the speaches ,6 great drummers played for the crowd in front of the Parliement building.
One of the drummers ,is in the group - Mezzoforte and another drummer played in Bjorks band ,before she became famous.
Still demanding goverment out ,and election as soon as possible

Icleanders get shocking news today -

Today ,the prime minister , mr. Geir Haarde ,held a press conference.
It was held at the Independence party HQ.
He told the press ,that there would be general elections next 9th of may.
Then he told the press , that he would after the parties meeting ( march 27 to 29 ) he would resign as party chairman and all political work.

He informed the press ,that he has a malignant tumor in the throat .

And that he would have seek medical treatment in USA.

Today ,the foreign secretary , Ingibjorg S. Gisladottir ,came back to Iceland ,after having been in Stockholm,Sweden ,going through ,radiation treatment .
Whne she was in the USA ,at the UN, she there went to a hospital ,and it was found out ,that she had bebign tumor in the head,
She had an operation in USA,and then some treatment in Sweden.
Doctors say,that she will be to full health very soon.

Protests in Iceland

Protests where again today ,in front of the Parliement building.
More peaceful today than last night.
Police in riot gear ,are standing in front of the building.
People are angry at the mob that attacke the police and tried to set fire to the parliement.
7 police officer got injured and could go to work today.
No arrests where made ,but police is going to use all the video information ,adn find the attackers ,and prosecute them.
There are two parties that controol Iceland.
Independence Party and Social Democratic Alliance or SDA.
SDA party members held a meeting last night - and agreed that there should be elections as soon as possible.
Here is another video from last night.
Tear gas was used last night ,and it had not been used since - 1949,when parliement agreed to join NATO .

Riot in Reykjavik 21 january 2009 iceland

People protested again today in Reykjavik.
First at the govemnet house - where the prime minister had problems driving away.
Police had to assist him ,and eggs and other stuff where thrown at his car.
You can see a video of that here in a Norwegian news page
Then the protesters continued protesting at the parliment building.
Parliement work was suspended today ,after the protest yesterday .
Protesters made fires around in front of the parliement.
Police ,had trouble putting the fires out.
They are still downtown protesting.

Peopel are still demanding the resigantoion of the goverment ,and central bank CEO.

Riots in Iceland january 20 2009 - video

Today ,the 20th january 2009,the Icelandic parliement members came back to parliement building after christmass vacation.
At the building where lot of people protesting the economic crisis,and demandig the resignation of the goverment and the central bank CEO.
People went aroudn the parliement and into the garden ,and police tried to get them out of the garden.
People had pots and pans and everything to make as much noise as possible,to distrubt the work at the Parliement.
Then riot Police came and used pepperspray and arrested protesters.
People are still at the Parliemnt building ,7 hours later tonight .
Teenagers and one ,ten year old where arrested today.
Here are some more videos from today in Reykjavik - Iceland.

Comments are welcomed

Riot at the Parliement building - protest january 20 2009

Today ,the 20th january 2009,the Icelandic parliement members came back to parliement building after christmass vacation.
At the building where lot of people protesting the economic crisis,and demandig the resignation of the goverment and the central bank CEO.
People went aroudn the parliement and into the garden ,and police tried to get them out of the garden.
People had pots and pans and everything to make as much noise as possible,to distrubt the work at the Parliement.
Then riot Police came and used pepperspray and arrested protesters.
Members of parliement watched from insede the building.
More video and photos will be added later

Protest january 20 2009 in Reykjavik

Tomorrow ,parliement will com again the the parliement building in Reykjavik,after the christmass vacation.
Protesters are planning to circle the building ,and have potts and pans ,and make a lot of noise.
All to disturbe the members of Parliement.
and to let them know ,that the people are not happy.
Here are a few photos from the protest last saturday.
I will try to go tomorrow and take photos and videos.

Click on the photos and they will be normal

Protest in Iceland january 17 2009 video

The weekly protest against the banking crisis in Iceland.
Still the same demand ,resignation of the goverment and the central bank.
Today at 15:00 hours ( GMT ) there will be protest meeting in Reykjavik.
And today,two groups are planning a protest meeting ,at the same place.
One starts at 15:00 and the other at 15:15 .
The first gorup ( 15:00 ) is having its 15th protest on saturday.
What the other group is planning is not known.
But then the other group was banned from holding their protest

Saturday protests in Reykjavik - january 17 2009

Today at 15:00 hours ( GMT ) there will be protest meeting in Reykjavik.
And today,two groups are planning a protest meeting ,at the same place.
One starts at 15:00 and the other at 15:15 .
The first gorup ( 15:00 ) is having its 15th protest on saturday.
What the other group is planning is not known.
I will be there and take photos and videos.
Hope it will be peaceful.
Here is a video from the january 3rd protest

Protest against Israel invasion

Yesterday another protest was held in Reykjavik - It was against Israelis invasion into Palenstine.
It was held one hour after the weekly economy protest.

It was held in an old theatre in downtown Reykjavik,near Reykjavik city hall.

The Palenstinian flag was outside the building

Protest in Reykjavik 10 january 2009 video and photos

The weekly saturday protest ,was held in Reykjavik today.
Protesting the economy control by the Goverment.
Demanding the resignation of the goverment,and central bank governors.
and also demanding that election be held a soon as possible.

Protest in Reykjavik - Iceland ,january 3 2009 video

The weekly saturday protest ,was held in Reykjavik today.
Protesting the economy control by the Goverment.
Demanding the resignation of the goverment,and central bank governors.
and also demanding that election be held a soon as possible.

There was also protesting the Health Ministers decision, to close one hospital ,and shortening the list of health care ,from 26 to 6 in Iceland .
Also the start ,according to one protester that held a speach,the privatization of the healt system in Iceland.
It has always been free for the public,and the public pays for it by taxes.
But now - the health minister is using the economy crisis ,as an excuse,to make the public pay extra for the health service.

Little now - but next year he we add more on the public.

On man made a speach ,and ended in singing " you never walk alone " and with Icelandic lyrics.
The protest was peacful ,but the public is getting more angry.

Protest tomorrow - 10 january 2009 in iceland

Tomorrow there is a planned protest meeting in downtown Reykjavik.
The weather forecast is ok - cold but ok weather.
Here is a little video from last weekend - after the little lady had held her speach .
I will try to be there with my little video camera and record the protest.

Today was the weekly saturday protest against the goverment in Iceland.
A 8 year old girl held a speach ,and got a great reaction from the crowd.
Her name is - Dagny Dimmbla.

She critizised the bank investors and the goverment.


Few thousand people attended.
The protest was peaceful.
People are getting more angry in Iceland.
I took a short video of her speach ,and added subtitles in English.

Central Bank economist hitting protesters

Two guys ,where seen hitting protesters when the protest was on december 31.
One of them is mr.Olafur Orn Klemensson ,a economist at the Central Bank.
The protesters did not hit back.
He and another guy that was with him ,seem to be under the influence of alcahol.
Protesters do not hit them back.


You can see a video of the incident her in Icelandic
Video

The photo is from an excellent blog about the protest in English
http://economicdisaster.wordpress.com/

Protest december 31 2008 Reykjavik iceland- photos and video

The CEO of , 365 -media ,is shocked by the attack on Hotel Borg yesterday.
He says that some of the protesters where armed with knives.
The police must use more force against the protesters,he says in an interview on his media ,Channel 2
Protester came,and some had their faces covered,and had pots and other things.
Here are a few photos and more video from the protest.

Police and protesters fight in Reykjavik - december 31 2008

Today at around 13:30 ,one of the TV news channels hold every year
,on the last day ,a tv brodcast ,live,where they talk about the
year with political party chairmens.
But today ,the hotel,wich is located near the parliement
building,was attacke by protesters.
TV equipment was destroyed,so the brodacast could not be
sent.
Then the protesters tried to get into the hotel,but police
stopped them,and later use gas to get them out.
Protesters where angry ,shouting " goverment out " and " fascists "

Update - a few protesters ,policemen,and TV for channel two,got minor injuries.

Next protest meeting will be next saturday

ps. Happy new year .

Comments are welcomed and not edited or censured in any way