Austurvöllur square was packed with Police officers this morning as Metropolitan police protested government unwillingness to agree to wage increases demanded by police officers. The police officers were joined by members of the Union of Public Servants and the Union Paramedics. Both unions began their strikes this midnight.
In recent weeks police officers, who are not legally allowed to strike, have used various unconventional methods to emphasize their demands for higher wages, including calling in sick in large numbers on Fridays.
Read more: Strikes and police “solidarity flu” could paralyze passport control at Keflavík Airport
The local news site visir.is reports that the officers marched from the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police by Hlemmur, the bus stop square, down Laugavegur street to Austurvöllur square in front of the house of Parliament. The marching officers caught the attention of pedestrians as it is not only relatively uncommon to encounter police officers in Iceland, let alone large crowds of officers gathered in one place. According to the local newspaper Morgunblaðið half of all police officers in Iceland participated in the protest.
This video, posted to Facebook by the staff of the Advertising agency HN Markaðssamskipti which has offices overlooking the street, shows the officers march down the street in an orderly manner, as is to be expected. The orderly protest march is also preceded and followed by a police escort on motorcycles, just like any other lawful march along city streets.
Lögreglan á höfuðborgarsvæðinu fjölmennti í Bankastrætið rétt í þessu á leið niður á Austurvöll. Hvort hún hafi að þessu sinni komið við á Dunkin Donuts skal ósagt látið en hún tók sig í það minnsta vel út í strætinu góða.Við hjá H:N styðjum að sjálfsögðu launakröfur lögreglunnar.
Posted by HN Markaðssamskipti on Thursday, October 15, 2015
Austurvöllur square was packed with Police officers this morning as Metropolitan police protested government unwillingness to agree to wage increases demanded by police officers. The police officers were joined by members of the Union of Public Servants and the Union Paramedics. Both unions began their strikes this midnight.
In recent weeks police officers, who are not legally allowed to strike, have used various unconventional methods to emphasize their demands for higher wages, including calling in sick in large numbers on Fridays.
Read more: Strikes and police “solidarity flu” could paralyze passport control at Keflavík Airport
The local news site visir.is reports that the officers marched from the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police by Hlemmur, the bus stop square, down Laugavegur street to Austurvöllur square in front of the house of Parliament. The marching officers caught the attention of pedestrians as it is not only relatively uncommon to encounter police officers in Iceland, let alone large crowds of officers gathered in one place. According to the local newspaper Morgunblaðið half of all police officers in Iceland participated in the protest.
This video, posted to Facebook by the staff of the Advertising agency HN Markaðssamskipti which has offices overlooking the street, shows the officers march down the street in an orderly manner, as is to be expected. The orderly protest march is also preceded and followed by a police escort on motorcycles, just like any other lawful march along city streets.
Lögreglan á höfuðborgarsvæðinu fjölmennti í Bankastrætið rétt í þessu á leið niður á Austurvöll. Hvort hún hafi að þessu sinni komið við á Dunkin Donuts skal ósagt látið en hún tók sig í það minnsta vel út í strætinu góða.Við hjá H:N styðjum að sjálfsögðu launakröfur lögreglunnar.
Posted by HN Markaðssamskipti on Thursday, October 15, 2015
