racism
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Actor Won’t Wear Wig, Eye Paint at Madama Butterfly
Icelandic actor Arnar Dan Kristjánsson announced Thursday that he will not wear a wig or eye paint at the next performance of Madama Butterfly, Vísir.is reports. Arnar Dan’s announcement on social media is the latest development in the controversy swirling around the…
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Icelandic Opera Accused of “Yellowface”
The Icelandic Opera is coming under fire from people of Asian descent in Iceland, who accuse the company of using “yellowface” in its production of Madama Butterfly, Vísir.is reports. The play primarily features white Icelandic actors and singers who have been made…
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The Mayor Of Reykjavík Says Racism In Politics Is A Threat
“In short, I think this is a threat, not only politically, but to society,” says Dagur B. Eggertsson, Mayor of Reykjavík, when asked about a series of racist incidents in Iceland in recent weeks and years. In the municipal election in 2014,…
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Fugitive Found, Police Will Review Tactics, Parliament Seeks Answers
Gabríel Douane Boama, a fugitive who slipped out of police custody at Reykjavík District Court last Tuesday and has been on the run since, was found and arrested last night, RÚV reports. Five others were also arrested in connection with the case.…
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Minister Charged With Breaking Parliamentary Code Of Conduct
Infrastructure Minister Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson has had charges filed against him for violation of the Code of Conduct for Members Of Parliament, RÚV reports. [su_pullquote]Not in Iceland for a while but still want to read our new issue? Get it sent from…
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Farmers Association Head Accepts Minister’s Apology, But The Matter Isn’t Over, Lawyer Says
Following a racist remark made by Infrastructure Minister Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson at a conference of the Icelandic Farmers’ Association (BÍ) on March 31st, wherein he referred to BÍ director Vigdís Häsler, a woman of colour, as “this black one” that he did…
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Infrastructure Minister Makes Racist Remark; Denials, Apologies And Calls For Resignation Follow
An ugly remark made by Minister of Infrastructure Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson at a conference of the Icelandic Farmers’ Association (BÍ) last Thursday has caused a political scandal, and more importantly, a reminder that racism is still alive and well in Iceland. [su_pullquote]Not…
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Vice MP Subjected To Repeated Racist Abuse, Has Filed Reports With The Police
Lenya Rún Taha Karim, a 21-year old law student and vice MP for the Pirate Party, has been subjected to repeated racist messages from people who object to her even being in Iceland—despite being born in this country—let alone serving in Iceland’s…
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Iceland Abstains From Voting On Anti-Nazism UN Resolution
Iceland was amongst 51 countries that abstained from voting on a resolution, put forward to the United Nations by 24 countries, which condemns Nazism and other far-right ideologies, calls upon nations to fight against racial discrimination, and expresses concern over increased activity…
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W.O.M.E.N Urge City of Reykjavík To Take Family Aid Allegations Seriously
RÚV reports that The Association of Women of Foreign Descent in Iceland (W.O.M.E.N) have urged the City of Reykjavík to take the recent allegations against Iceland Family Aid (Fjölskylduhjálp) seriously when allocating financial grants to aid organisations for the coming year. W.O.M.E.N’s…
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Chairman Of Family Aid Criticised For Discrimination And Xenophobia
Vísir reports that a number of former clients and volunteers have come forward with their experiences of discrimination and degrading treatment at Iceland Family Aid (Fjölskyldahjálp), on the basis of religion and nationality. The chairman of Family Aid has been said to…
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Wants The Police To Meet Parliamentary Committee To Discuss Racism & Hate Speech
Yesterday’s news that a photo of a police officer shows them wearing some questionable insignia, including a known hate symbol, has made its way to Parliament. RÚV reports that Þórhildur Sunna Ævarsdóttir, a Pirate Party MP and member of the Judicial Affairs…
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Crude Racist Message Left On Car In Snæfellsnes
“If you are black or brown: please leave this town!” reads a crude racist message left on a parked car in Snæfellsnes on June 12th. Sara Magnúsar, a DJ based in Iceland, reported the hateful message on Facebook. She was driving with…
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About 43% Of Icelanders Do Not Believe Prejudice Is Common In Iceland
The results of a new poll from Zenter show that, of those polled, most Icelanders do believe prejudice is a common occurrence in their country, Fréttablaðið reports. However, a statistically high proportion believe it is either a rare occurrence or neither common…
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Memorial Proposed To Honour Hans Jónatan, Iceland’s First Black Settler
A proposal to erect a memorial to Hans Jónatan, the first known Black settler in Iceland, has been presented to Parliament. Vilhjálmur Bjarnason of the conservative Independence Party put forward a bill to construct a memorial in Djúpivogur to Hans Jónatan, a Black…
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Empty Words On A Movement, Yet Full Of Hope
I have never felt so discriminated against, but I have never felt so privileged. I have never had so many things to say to the world without being able to find the words. I have never felt so selfish yet I have…
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Icelandic MP Wants Government To Condemn Inequality In The US
Logi Einarsson (first to the left above), the chair of the Social Democratic Party, gave an impassioned speech in Parliament wherein he called upon the government to “let Americans hear it” in response to what he described as “deep-seated injustice” in the…
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Racism Very Much Present In Iceland
An 8-month-old boy was the subject of a racist confrontation at Vesturbæjarlaug swimming pool last week, RÚV reports. The parents of the child are still shaken from the incident, and it underlines one of many documented cases of racism in Iceland. Kolfinna…
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Around 200 Gathered For Anti-Fascist Rally In Reykjavik
In response to a recent showing by the Nordic Resistance Movement (NRM), about 200 people braved heavy rains and cold to gather last Saturday in a public rally against Nazism in Iceland. As reported, anywhere from ten to fifteen members of the…
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Icelanders To Protest Against Nazism Tomorrow
In response to yesterday’s public showing of the Nordic Resistance Movement (NRM), hundreds of Icelanders will demonstrate against racism tomorrow. Anywhere from ten to fifteen members of the NRM assembled at Lækjartorg in downtown Reykjavík yesterday, Stundin reports, where they handed out…
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Icelandic Right Wingers Invite Islamophobe To Speak At Harpa
Douglas Murray is slated to give a talk at Harpa Concert Hall, drawing considerable criticism and calls for Harpa to cancel the event. Murray is an author whose most recent book, The Strange Death of Europe: Immigration, Identity, Islam, has garnered considerable…
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Believes Hate Crimes In Iceland Have Increased
Police need to be better educated and data needs to be collected more thoroughly when it comes to hate crimes in Iceland, an adjunct in police training says. Eyrún Eyþórsdóttir, an adjunct at the University of Akureyri, told reporters that all available…
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VIDEOS: Three Arrested At Parliament Under Questionable Circumstances
Three protesters were arrested in front of Parliament yesterday, despite parliamentary staff saying these protesters were not hindering access to the building. Videos taken at the scene shows police arresting one person for suggesting the police also give their orders in English.…