On Wednesday, Feb. 13, No Borders Iceland and numerous asylum seekers will hold a protest against the deportation of refugees in Iceland. The group pushes for changes in Iceland’s immigration and asylum seekers policies, as well as a stop to the use of the Dublin Regulation.
Even though more than half of Icelanders are welcome to refugees, No Borders reports that out of 790 asylum applicants in 2018, only 160 got approved. The other 630, according to No Borders, were deported or bribed to leave the country.
“Now in 2019, no official numbers have been released but the refugees have had enough. The protest cannot wait, since there will be many deportations in the next weeks,” the event text reads in part. “It is clear that by closing their borders, European countries prioritise racism and nationalism over compassion, solidarity and human lives. In spite of being among the most marginalised groups in society, refugees have the courage to resist.”
Last August, Minister of Justice Sigríður Á. Andersen proposed a new regulation that would pay asylum seekers up to €1,000 to withdraw their applications.
The protest will start at 16:00 in front of Hallgrímskirkja, and protesters will walk to Austurvöllur—the square in front of Parliament—for a solidarity gathering.
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