The U.S. Embassy in Reykjavík announced on Wednesday that it would close earlier than usual today because of a protest planned outside its premises. The demonstration, set to begin at 17:00, is being organised by the Friendship Association of Iceland and Cuba and focuses on opposition to U.S. sanctions on Cuba, according to reports first published by Vísir.
The embassy posted a security warning on its Facebook page earlier today, featuring an image with the words “security warning” over a red background. The warning informed the public about the scheduled protest and explained the embassy’s decision to close early.
According to organisers, the demonstration is a response to a vote at the United Nations General Assembly today regarding a resolution on the U.S. trade embargo against Cuba. The Friendship Association of Iceland and Cuba announced the protest to coincide with this international decision.
The protest is planned to take place outside the U.S. Embassy at Engjateigur 7 in Reykjavík. No information has yet been provided about security measures beyond the embassy’s early closure.
Background
Reykjavík is the capital and largest city of Iceland. It is located on the southern shore of Faxaflói bay in southwest Iceland and was officially founded as a trading town in 1786.
Sources
- Vísir (first reported) in Icelandic
- mbl.is in Icelandic
- RÚV in Icelandic
Image: Ray Swi-hymn from Sijhih-Taipei, Taiwan / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0) · licence, original (resized) Illustrative image.
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