One of the leading protesters against planned road construction through a protected lava field was formally charged with refusing to obey police orders today.
DV reports that Ragnhildur Jónsdóttir, who sits in the directorship of Lava Friends, has been charged with refusing to obey police when told to move. At the time, Ragnhildur was taking part in a blockade of road construction through the Gálgahraun lava field.
As reported last September, the controversy surrounds the lava fields of Gálgahraun, which is located on the Álftanes peninsula. Although the fields were officially protected in 2009, construction of a new road – Álftanesvegar – was green-lit earlier that month, and will in part go through Gálgahraun.
This prompted many protesters – amongst them, veteran journalist and environmentalist Ómar Ragnarsson – to take direct action. Placing themselves in the way of construction machinery, many were arrested. It is expected that more charges are pending against the other protesters involved.
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