Protesters chanted “Greenland is not for sale” and marched to the US embassy in Copenhagen in solidarity with the Arctic island’s residents.
‘Tariff king’ Trump threatens to impose tariffs on Greenland
President Donald Trump has threatened to impose tariffs on countries to pressure them into accepting the U.S. annexation of Greenland.
Thousands of protesters rallied across Denmark on January 17 to oppose President Donald Trump’s threat to take control of Greenland and support the right to self-determination for the Arctic island’s residents.
President Trump has argued that the United States needs Greenland because of its strategic location and vast mineral wealth, and did not rule out an armed occupation. This prompted some European countries, including France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Norway and Sweden, to deploy troops to the frozen island in a show of support for Denmark.
Some demonstrators chanted “Greenland is not for sale” and held banners and placards next to Greenland’s red and white flag that read “Keep your hands off Greenland,” Reuters reported. The crowd gathered in Copenhagen’s City Hall Square before marching toward the U.S. Embassy.
President Trump’s obsession with acquiring Greenland, which has recently included threats to “do something” about the island “whether you like it or not,” threatens to unsettle the international community and upend the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), one of America’s most important alliances.
“We are very grateful for the tremendous support that we Greenlanders are receiving… We are also sending a message to the world that you all have to wake up,” said Julie Rademacher, president of Uagut, the Danish organization for Greenlanders.
“We are very grateful for the tremendous support that we Greenlanders are receiving… We are also sending a message to the world that you all have to wake up,” said Julie Rademacher, president of Uagut, the Danish organization for Greenlanders.
“Greenland and Greenlanders are inadvertently at the forefront of the fight for democracy and human rights,” she added.
Meanwhile, as European troops gather in Greenland, a bipartisan delegation of American lawmakers visited Copenhagen on January 16 to reassure Danish leaders amid concerns that the United States would annex the resource-rich island. The group met with the prime ministers and members of parliament from both Denmark and Greenland, which is part of a European nation.
Sens. Chris Coons (D-Delaware) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) emerged from the conversation to say the delegation had a “good dialogue” and that their hope was to tone down the political rhetoric on the situation.
On January 16, President Trump dubbed himself the “tariff king” and threatened to use tariffs to force other countries to follow his plans.
Contributed by: Reuters
