World

Iceland protests turn violent

by Teacher Dude | January 22, 2009 at 08:06 am

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Protests and confrontation in Iceland's capital Reykjavik escalated today when riots police and demonstrators clashed in the early hours of the morning. As a result two police officers were seriously injured and the police used tear gas for the first time in nearly 60 years to break up the demonstration.

Thousands of Icelanders have been gathering outside the parliament of the tiny Scandanavian nation to protest the present coalition government's handling of the recent financial crisis which has stalled the country's economy and left the island with debt ten times its annual GNP.

Prime minister, Geir H. Haarde also bore the brunt of protestor's wrath when his car was surrounded by demonstrators who shouted anti - government slogans and banged pots and pans. It took the intervention of the police before he could leave. Such protests are unprecedented in modern Icelandic history.

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Uwe Paschen

at 08:25 on January 22nd, 2009

Thank you for the Update on Iceland's Protest. Does seem like the Greek protest to some extend.

sumostrik

at 01:02 on January 23rd, 2009

I dont think this is quite like the greek protests before christmas, no one has been badly hurt yet in these protests

Teacher Dude

at 01:41 on January 23rd, 2009

No, the Greek protests were on a massive scale and the level of damage much greater. In Thessaloniki alone , 30 odd banks were torched in one night. Also the clashes has still not died down completely, even six weeks on.

Jokull

at 02:38 on January 23rd, 2009

There is an increasing anger by the Icelandic people, here unleashed at Althingi on January 20th 2009. The people wants changes in the Government and Parliament.

Jokull has contributed a photo to this story.