Lækjartorg 15. október 2011. Ljósmyndari Jóhann Ágúst Hansen

According to the media around 1000 people gathered downtown in Reykjavik in the takethesquares protests on October 15th. 2011.  Actually three events were taking place at the same time arranged by three groups but for most people not involved in activism in Iceland it appeared to be one connected event. Many activists participated in more than one of these events.

On Lækjartorg square people gathered in a leaderless  and not preorganized event and everyone could talk and human microphone was tried.  This was the event we organized.  Here is a video segment of the event. This event was initiated by Attac Iceland  which  contacted other grassroots activist grassroot organizations in Iceland particularly Alda and No Borders and Foods not Bombs  and also several activists groups connected with a grassroot house in Reykjavik. The group  decided to call itself 15 october movement.  After the 15th of October passed activism have continued  by the same group with meetings and occupation of Austurvöllur and it was decided to call  the continuating movement Occupy Reykjavik.

On Austurvöllur Hörður Torfason (Raddir fólksins)  organized  meeting with two speakers and harmonica playing group. Between this two meetings  the two squares Lækjartorg and Austurvöllur  a third group marched  carrying big orange colored flags with three dandelions. The  dandilion march went between the squares  from Lækjartorg  to Austurvöllur and back to Lækjartorg.

Speaker on Lækjartorg 15. oktober 2011

The occupy event on Lækjartorg  was perhaps a beginning of a new type of activism  in Reykjavik, decentralized participatory activism on the Lækjartorg event and an efford to try to start democratic dialogue on the street contrasted with the  organized centralized  protests with stage and few speakers and many listeners on Austurvöllur. The focus on Lækjartorg was on change needed in Iceland and support with the #globalchange  15october movement. The protest was targeting the financial system of the world and lack of power to majority of people rather than  the government of Iceland and asking for open debates and discussion about alternative world. Hot food was served that had been collected by dumpster diving and cooked in Food-not-bombs fashion.

Salvör Kristjana

Nánari upplýsingar um viðburði sem verða annars staðar í heiminum 15. október eru á http://15october.net/

Facebook viðburður 15. október á Íslandi 

Facebook viðburður fyrir 15. október um allan heim

Alþjóðleg yfirlýsing
15. Október — Sameinumst í baráttunni fyrir hnattrænum breytingum
Hinn 15. október mun almenningur um heim allan fara út á götur og torg. Frá Ameríku til Asíu, frá Afríku til Evrópu rís fólk upp til að krefjast réttar síns og alvöru lýðræðis. Tími er kominn til að við sameinumst í friðsömum mótmælum um heim allan.

Núverandi valdhafar vinna einungis í þágu örfárra og hundsa bæði vilja meirihlutans og þann fórnarkostnað sem mannfólk og umhverfi verður að bera. Þetta er óþolandi staða sem verður að taka enda.

Við munum einum rómi gefa stjórnmálamönnunum, og fjármálaelítunni sem þeir þjóna, til kynna að það er okkar, fólksins, 99 prósentanna, að ákveða okkar eigin framtíð. Við erum ekki vörur í þeirra höndum til að höndla með, né heldur í höndum bankamannanna sem eru ekki fulltrúar okkar.

Hinn 15. október ætlum við að hittast á götum úti og hefja þær hnattrænu breytingar sem við viljum sjá. Við munum mótmæla friðsamlega, ræða saman og skipuleggja okkur þar til við náum þeim fram.
Tími er kominn til að sameinast. Tími er kominn fyrir þá að hlusta.
Almenningur um allan heim, rísum upp 15. október.

Nánari upplýsingar veita:
Sólveig Alda Halldórsdóttir s. 692 23 22,
Birgir Smári Ársælsson s. 865 65 42
Bjarni Guðbjörnsson s. 5520237
Árni Daníel Júlíusson s. 891 80 96
Sjá Facebook viðburð: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=281167531901475
Sjá vefsíðu um viðburðinn á heimsvísu: http://15october.net/
Sjá vefsíðu um viðburðinn á Íslandi: http://www.esjan.net/reykjavik

In English

On October 15th people from all over the world will take to the streets and squares. From America to Asia, from Africa to Europe, people are rising up to claim their rights and demand a true democracy. Now it is time for all of us to join in a global non violent protest.

In Reykjavik Iceland we will gather in Lækjartorg at 15:00

The ruling powers work for the benefit of just a few, ignoring the will of the vast majority and the human and environmental price we all have to pay. This intolerable situation must end.

United in one voice, we will let politicians, and the financial elites they serve, know it is up to us, the people, to decide our future.

We are not goods in the hands of politicians and bankers who do not represent us.

On October 15th, we will meet on the streets to initiate the global change we want. We will peacefully demonstrate, talk and organize until we make it happen.

It’s time for us to unite. It’s time for them to listen.

People of the world, rise up on October 15th!