Reykjavík Grapevine - Jul 2022, Síða 4

What Are Icelanders
Talking About?
The hot topics rockin’ the comment
sections
Words: Andie Sophia Fontaine Photos: Art Bicnick
We had a peaceful four
years, but now, thanks
to one dude, we are all forced to
talk about whale hunting again.
Hvalur hf., the last company in
Iceland still hunting fin whales,
and its CEO, rich Boomer and
enfant terrible Kristján Loftsson,
have resumed hunting whales
again after a four-year hiatus. So
once again, Iceland is making inter-
national headlines for this bizarre
and cruel practice that cannot even
be defended financially — not only
does it hurt Iceland’s biggest indus-
try (tourism), whaling itself fails
to generate a profit. On the bright
side, Minister of Fisheries Svandís
Svavarsdóttir has intimated that
she will likely let Hvalur’s whal-
ing license expire, but that won’t
happen until the end of 2023. As
such, we will most likely have to go
through this same song and dance
next summer, too.
Another unfortunate subject that
has entered the discussion again
is Reynisfjara, and not on account
of its beautiful black sands or strik-
ing basalt columns. Rather, because
sadly yet another person has died
there — the fifth such death in the
past seven years. The latest death
has prompted renewed discussion
about what to do about the beach:
close it altogether? Install greater
security measures? Close it some-
times? Or do nothing at all? So far,
it seems the government is most
willing to set up an early warning
system in the area. Whether this
will make a material difference
remains to be seen.
Oh, we also had another shooting.
This time, it wasn’t in Reykjavík, but
in the normally calm and family-
friendly town of Hafnarfjörður.
There, a man in his sixties alleg-
edly fired shots from an unidenti-
fied firearm at a vehicle that had an
adult and child inside. Fortunately,
neither were physically injured.
After a stand-off with police that
lasted a few hours, the man surren-
dered to authorities. It is uncertain
what his motivations were, but
this recent uptick in shootings has
caused many Icelanders to worry
that shootings may soon become a
more common occurrence.
In happier news, the Minister of
Justice’s controversial bill to
amend the Law on Foreigners
has failed to pass. Jón Gunnarsson,
the Minister in question, withdrew
the bill before it could be defeated,
vowing to submit it again in the
autumn. If he does, this would
mark the fifth attempt by the Inde-
pendence Party to make life more
difficult for immigrants in Iceland,
particularly those seeking inter-
national protection. There are no
indications that his bill will have
better chances in September.
First
NEWS
Reynisfjara: beautiful, but also deadly
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This whale will likely breathe easier in 2024
4The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 07— 2022
Stay like
a local
[ 8 hotels, restaurants
& spas in the heart of
Reykjavik ]