'Saving Iceland' Tag Archive

Jun 29 2008

Left-Greens Demand Report on Police Conduct Against Protestors


The Left-Green Party demanded in parliament in April that the Minister of Justice, Bjorn Bjarnason, should write a detailed report of all actions of the Icelandic police against Saving Iceland activists during the years of 2005, 2006 and 2007. This report is due now. Saving Iceland will be reporting on further developments in this case. Below is the demand in English.
Armand: Brave Cops of Iceland Read More

Jun 12 2008
27 Comments

Camp 2008


Update: the Camp this summer is over – read a report and summary of this summer’s camp, actions and other activities here.

A summer of International dissent and action against Heavy Industry – swarming around Iceland from the 12th of July 2008!
Read More

May 29 2008
1 Comment

Founder of Saving Iceland Acquitted


iceland-police-state.jpgÓlafur Páll Sigurðsson, the founder of Saving Iceland, has been acquitted. Sigurðsson had been accused of vandalizing a police car, using only his fists.
In the end of July 2006, during the 2nd protest camp of Saving Iceland against the dams at Kárahnjúkar, an unmarked 4×4 police car came driving towards the camp site and started photgraphing people having their lunch. A few of the protestors walked towards the car, including Sigurðsson. When he stepped in front of the stationary vehicle the driver of the car, Arinbjörn Snorrason, accelerated suddenly and drove into Sigurðsson, who saved his life by putting his hands on the bonnet of the car and jumping out of its way.
Armand: Brave Cops of Iceland Read More

Apr 20 2008
1 Comment

Founder of Saving Iceland Accused by Icelandic Police


On Monday 21st April 2008 Saving Iceland Founder, Olafur Pall Sigurdsson, will appear before the District Court of East Iceland charged with property damage. The charge relates to an incident at Snæfell Mountain protest camp in the end of July 2006.

All the civilian witnesses recount that a police 4×4 was deliberately driven into Sigurdsson at a potentially fatal speed. The driver, officer 8716 Arinbjorn Snorrason, a high ranking officer in charge of operations at Kárahnjúkar, also attempted to run over other protestors on multiple occasions that same summer, at Lindur (now submerged location of a SI action camp) and at an action on Desjarárstífla dam construction site. Read More

Mar 26 2008

Solidarity Demonstration at the Alcoa European Headquarters in Switzerland


Motivated by other actions that have taken place all over Europe against heavy industry and by the inspiring presentations of Saving Iceland made by Icelandic activists this winter in Switzerland, we organised a demonstration, creating a new group of this international campaign in Geneva. Wednesday 26th March, 30 activists demonstrated their anger in front of Alcoa’s European headquarters in Geneva. Here is where the Alcoa managers take decisions regarding their plans for the destruction and polluting industry for the production of aluminium. [kml_flashembed movie="http://youtube.com/v/LSJ2RhaCpWY"" width="249" height="212" wmode="transparent" /]

Read More

Mar 22 2008

Successful International Day of Action for Rivers


At least 70 actions took place in over 30 countries to celebrate the importance of protecting our rivers. Many groups opted to demonstrate and protest. In Brazil, MAB organized more than nine events. MAB’s occupation of the worksite at Estreito Dam on the Tocantins River lasted nine days until demonstrators at the Estreito Dam were finally offered an agreement which maintains that organs under the Brazilian presidency will convene meetings to discuss the ongoing social and environmental concerns that the dam project presents. A rail line in Minas Gerais was blocked by the women of Via Campesina (of which MAB is part), in support of families seeking compensation from the company for their being displaced for Aimor’s Dam. Read More

Mar 14 2008

International Rivers Day – Saving Iceland and Sól á Sudurlandi join forces to free Thjórsá


thjorwinter

This morning Saving Iceland built a small dam in front of Landsvirkjun’s office entrance so the workers had either to step over the dam to get inside or use a different entrance. With this peaceful demonstration Saving Iceland wanted to protest upcoming three dams that Landsvirkjun, the national energy company, hopes to build in lower Þjórsá river. At the same time SI sends support and solidarity to all the people fighting this destruction.

Read More

Mar 11 2008

Saving Iceland Blocks Metal Conference in Brussels


Monday morning at 8:30 Saving Iceland disturbed the opening of the two-day conference Metals: Energy, Emissions and the Environment in Brussels. About twenty activists blocked the conference entrance of the Radisson SAS Royal Hotel with chain locks and aluminium garbage. With this action they protested against Alcoa, Rio Tinto-Alcan and Norsk Hydro, who are using this conference to promote aluminium as a ‘sustainable’ metal.

Watch the video on Youtube
Read More

Jan 15 2008

Saving Iceland Update 2008: UK Mini-Gathering


pinkfooted_nottingham_flickr

Nottingham and Iceland are both home to pink footed geese
and dark-green activists…

A day of talks and film showings to pass on information about the on-going international campaign and the current situation in Iceland

Friday 22nd February 2008, Sumac Centre, Nottingham

The event is aimed at:

  • Activists who have been involved with Saving Iceland in the past, have parted company for whatever reason, but would like to know what�s happening now
  • UK-based Saving Iceland activists who were unable to make it to the recent organising gatherings abroad and would like an update
  • People who are new to the issue but are interested to find out about this great ecological threat to our relatively local wilderness.
  • Anyone with questions about the campaign Read More
  • Jan 11 2008

    Alcoa Divides and Rules Greenland


    11 January 2008

    Saving Iceland received this urgent call for help from Greenland. The sentiments here seem quite contrary to those of Alcoa’s deluded CEO, Alain Belda, who intends to bring an “environmentally-friendly smelter [to Greenland] that adheres to our stringent values and delivers sustainable development”* or Alcoa’s Mr Wade “Kárahnjúkar-is-not-in-the-Highlands” Hughes who stated that Alcoa “have been well accepted by the people [in Greenland].”** In Iceland we are well aware of the collusion between mega-corporations like Alcoa and the corporate media, in manufacturing consent for their projects rather than stimulating thoughtful debate. As Alcoa plan a smelter in Greenland which will start off slightly larger than their Fjardaál monster in Iceland, there is no time to lose, Greenland must be defended.
    .
    The Aluminium project in Greenland involves a smelter to be placed most possibly in Maalutu on the western shore of Nuuk Fiord plus 3 hydropower projects one in the bottom of Nuuk fiord, one in the bottom of Majoqqaq in the bottom of S�ndre Isortoq and one in the river running from Tasersiaq most possible by damming Sarfartup Kuua, producing ~600 MW. Plus >100km of wires crossing some of the most precious caribou hunting grounds. The aim is to produce ~350.000 tonnes of Aluminium per year and create ~700 permanent jobs. Read More

    Náttúruvaktin