About 50 protest US sanctions on Cuba outside embassy

About 50 people gathered outside the US Embassy in Reykjavík on Wednesday to protest US trade sanctions against Cuba, far more than organisers expected, mbl.is reported.

Among those attending were members of the Iceland-Cuba Friendship Association. Its chairman, Eyjólfur B. Eyvindarson, said the protesters wanted to show solidarity with the Cuban people and draw attention to the effects of the sanctions. They were also calling for international law to be respected, he said.

Eyvindarson said the measures had significantly affected daily life in Cuba, including oil shipments, banking and tourism. He also questioned what might prevent similar measures being used against other countries if international law was not upheld in this case.

The US Embassy issued a security alert ahead of the protest, advising US citizens to stay away from the area and saying it would close earlier than usual. Police were present, but the demonstration passed peacefully. Eyvindarson said police had been notified in advance and there was no reason to expect violence.

Lisa, an American who lives in Iceland, also attended. She walked about a kilometre from her home despite having a disability, bringing a folding stool and an upside-down US flag, which she said symbolised a state of emergency in the United States. She said she would never return to the country, though she still valued its people and places.