1949 anti-NATO riot in Iceland

Protest

Several hundred protesters first convened behind a school in the centre of Reykjavík and then marched on Austurvöllur, a small park in front of the parliament building, where a throng of people had already arrived positioning themselves between the parliament and the rioters, intending to defend it.

At first the demonstrators were calm, but when a leading member of the Socialist Party announced over a loudspeaker that the leader of his party was held hostage inside the Parliament building, things became violent.

Rocks and eggs were tossed at the building, some breaking the windows and one narrowly missing the head of the Parliamentary president, until the Reykjavík police force, aided by volunteers from the Independence Party intervened, beating rioters down and eventually launching tear gas grenades at the rioters. It was the first time police in Iceland used tear gas against protesters and the only time until 2009, when police used it during the Icelandic financial crisis protests.

The riot continued also after the conclusion of the vote and lasted for several hours.

Aftermath

Despite violent opposition, Iceland's membership in NATO was confirmed.

After the event, protests by anti-NATO activists were commonplace. The left parties in the 1950s and 1960s parliamentary elections promised to put an end to the bilateral U.S.-Icelandic Defence Agreement, but dropped these promises after becoming part of the ruling coalitions. The slogan "Iceland out of NATO and the Army out!" ("Ísland úr NATO og herinn burt!") became a part of Icelandic culture. In 1974, the government proposed closing down the Keflavik base, but a petition campaign gathered a quarter of the population's signatures. The government fell out of power, and it was replaced by a decidedly pro-NATO government. On 30 September 2006, the US Navy unilaterally withdrew the last of its military force from Keflavík airport.

In 2016, the United States began preparations to re-establish its presence at the base. In 2017, the United States announced its intention to construct a modern air base on the peninsula.

The protagonist of the novel Angels of the Universe is born during the riot.

Gallery

File:People gather in front of the House of the Althing, March 30th 1949.jpg|People gather in front of the House of the Althing. File:Police are prepared for trouble in front of the House of the Althing, March 30th 1949..jpg|Police are prepared for trouble in front of the House of the Althing. File:Overview over Austurvöllur, in front of the House of the Althing, March 30th 1949..jpg|Overview over Austurvöllur, in front of the House of the Althing File:Overview over Austurvöllur and the House of the Althing, March 30th 1949..jpg|Overview over Austurvöllur and the House of the Althing. File:Overview over Austurvöllur, Reykjavik Cathedral and the House of the Althing, March 30th 1949..jpg|Overview over Austurvöllur, Reykjavik Cathedral and the House of the Althing. File:People gather for a meeting at the old school, by Tjörnin in downtown Reykjavik..jpg|People gather for a meeting at the old school, by Tjörnin in downtown Reykjavik File:In the throng in front of the House of the Althing, during anti-NATO protests..jpg|In the throng in front of the House of the Althing during anti-NATO protests. File:People flee from tear gas unleashed by police..jpg|People flee from tear gas unleashed by police.

References

References

1. NATO. "Iceland and NATO - 1949".
2. (2014-10-26). "From Iceland – "World Event" In 2009 When Protesters Defended Disarmed Police".
3. Benediktsson, Einar. (18 August 2011). "At Crossroads: Iceland's Defense and Security Relations, 1940–2011". [[Strategic Studies Institute]].
4. Markham, James M.. (1982-03-30). "Iceland's elves are enlisted in anti-NATO effort". The New York Times.
5. "U.S. military returns to Iceland".
6. Snow, Shawn. (17 December 2017). "US plans $200 million buildup of European air bases flanking Russia".