Enormous rock in front of the Icelandic parliament
When parliament building employees arrived at work this morning they discovered a giant rock sitting in front of the building. Later this morning it became clear that the rock was part of Spanish artists Santiago Sierra’s NO global tour. Previously he attracted attention when he drove a truck around the streets of Reykjavík with a giant NO on the truck bed.
This giant rock or “The Black Cone, Monument to Civil Disobedience” is according to the Reykjavík Art Museum a “reminder of the importance of civil liberties, including the right to refuse to obey laws and commands of the government.” Apparantly it is inspired by the series of protests that have taken place in front of the Icelandic parliament building since the bank crash three years ago. Those same protests were an inspiration for protests in Spain, perhaps prompting Sierra to come to Iceland.
Today at one o’clock (Icelandic time) Sierra will drive a half meter long steel cone into the rock and break it and thus breaking the establishment I suppose.

Enormous rock in front of the Icelandic parliament

NO sign on truck bedWhen parliament building employees arrived at work this morning they discovered a giant rock sitting in front of the building. Later this morning it became clear that the rock was part of Spanish artists Santiago Sierra’s NO global tour. Previously he attracted attention when he drove a truck around the streets of Reykjavík with a giant NO on the truck bed.

This giant rock or “The Black Cone, Monument to Civil Disobedience” is according to the Reykjavík Art Museum a “reminder of the importance of civil liberties, including the right to refuse to obey laws and commands of the government.” Apparantly it is inspired by the series of protests that have taken place in front of the Icelandic parliament building since the bank crash three years ago. Those same protests were an inspiration for protests in Spain, perhaps prompting Sierra to come to Iceland.

Today at one o’clock (Icelandic time) Sierra will drive a half meter long steel cone into the rock and break it and thus breaking the establishment I suppose.

Mass protests in Iceland as citizens are angry over how little our government has accomplished since the financial crash.

Between 7.000 and 8.000 Icelanders protested in front of the parliament building in downtown Reykjavík to protest everything. Out of all the news about these protests I feel this Reuters video describes it most accurately.

If you are on your way to Iceland, don’t worry, there is no danger. Just bring a pot and a pan with you so you can join in. These are ordinary citizens protesting, families with their children. Out of 200.000 people living in and around Reykjavík a turnout of 8.000 protesters is pretty amazing.