Police in Reykjavik today used pepper spray against protesters attempting to prevent Prime Minister Geir H. Haarde appearing on a television show being broadcast from Hotel Borg on Austurvollur Square in central Reykjavik.
Video footage of the events can be seen here, although the commentary is in Icelandic. The protesters were loud and boisterous, but insist they were not violent. The opinion of the protesters interviewed by MBL.is was that the police response was heavy handed, as all they were doing was blocking the way and singing.
Many people were affected by the gas and several ambulances were called to treat people on the spot and to take others to the Accident and Emergency department.
It has since been reported that three of the approximate 200 protesters were arrested and that a policeman had his chin broken during the confrontation.
Photo: mbl.is/Júlíus
By all standards, Mr. Geir Haarde does not deserve to be prime minister of Iceland any longer. Under his political leadership, we have gone into a financial hell fire. So he should accept responsibility for this hell, apologise to the nation and finally call it a quit along with David Odsson, Mathiesen and the economics affairs minister. If he fails to do this, he might sooner or later find himself on a more embarassing exit route from the government. I wish Mr. Haarde the best of luck in 2009.
Comment from Mr. K. Ceesay.
Pepper Spray is not Gas. It is a very effective non-lethal deterrent against passive resistance. Thanks media for making a sensational headline with an innaccurate statement. Emergency room for pepper spray? That’s laughable.
What`s happening with the world? I ever liked Iceland as a true paradise at earth? I can`t understand how a healthy, educated and friendly people as the Icelandic can be suffering so harsh. Is it possible that the hell of economy can be destroying this wonderful civilization?
As a friend of Iceland, I am concerning about it and I hope it be just an isolated episode.
Happy New Year from Brazil
Jairo
This is a good example of why the police in Iceland must not be issued with real weapons. Although I have great respect for the Icelandic police, the reality is that they do not have the proper experience, and Iceland is not the proper society for a fully armed police force. Most importantly Iceland does not require such a thing. The use of pepper spray is a poor mark on the police´s skills in crowd control, yet we should not let this be a precursor to an unnecessarily violent society and arming the police force would essentially constitute an end to the peaceful society we all value.
May be the headline should have been more like “Police spray protesters”. In WW 2 there was talkes about gas and gas masks. Where did that come from?
Maybe the word gas is not that far of?http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pepper_spray
> Jon. Have you got some excamples where “real weapons” have given good solutions in political issues?
Its funny how the police always scream
GAS GAS GAS……….
when pepper spray is used to burn and blind people
even in crowds where there are children and old people,
look and listen
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTXpXesMcKE
Iceland has had one case of brutality.
The crowd assaulted the police and were maced.
Unless a police officer is in the famous Viking Squads or Coast Guard he//she will not have a gun.
In liberal peaceful Sweden ((where most police have guns)) recently they opened fire on a crowd which was a much more peaceful demonstration.
Count yourselves lucky, people of the great nation of Iceland, that your police will never carry guns unless they ar at the Keflavik Airport or in a Swat team.