Rally organized by No Borders protests against racism and xenophobia in Iceland

A rally organized by the group No Borders took place in protest against what they describe as prevalent racism and xenophobia in political discourse. Participants expressed a sentiment that such attitudes do not reflect the views of the majority of Icelandic citizens.

Maria Lilja Ingveldar-Þrastardóttir Kemp highlighted that anti-immigrant sentiment predominantly arises from the political right, despite the fact that all political parties, with the exception of the Pirates, agreed to new immigration laws earlier this year. She criticized politicians for diverting attention to foreign nationals, suggesting this narrative misrepresents the compassion that many Icelanders feel.

“We believe that this rhetoric, this xenophobia, is not in line with public sentiment. Surveys have shown that immigration is not a key issue in this election,” noted Maria Lilja, referencing a Gallup poll that indicated only 5% of respondents viewed immigration as the most important issue.

She pointed out the irony in the current political campaigning, which seems to focus heavily on immigration despite its lack of significance to the electorate. Maria Lilja emphasized that the discourse around immigration largely overlooks the general goodwill shown by Icelanders towards others, attributing the negative narratives to a few loud voices aiming to create a political enemy.

Among No Borders’ demands is the cessation of the Icelandic government’s misuse of the Dublin Regulation and an end to policies that deny asylum seekers the chance to apply for protection at the borders.