Yesterday, August 25th, 300 people celebrated that 40 years ago, people opposed to the building of dams in Laxá in Mývatnssveit, sabotaged a
smaller dam that had already been built.
The local people had opposed this project through legal means but it did not seem to be working. August 25th 1970, most of them were in a funeral, where the rumour was spread amongst people – the dam was going to be sabotaged. The original plan was to destroy it with tools but shortly after the work started, people realized they would need something stronger. They knew of dynamite, owned by the energy company
Laxávirkjun… so, what a better way to use that dynamite!? “We borrowed it” was the answer of one of the bombers, in the evening news yesterday.
More then 120 people claimed their participation in the sabotage – 65 of them were later sentenced to prison on probation.
Yesterday, a memorial statue was put up by the river, where the dam used to stand. The local church choir sang some songs and speeches were held. The sabotage is remembered as a very important event in Iceland’s history
of nature conservation.
Not everybody agrees with this; Jakob Björnsson, ex-energy director of Iceland, said that the celebration is shameful. Well, fuck him!
Here is a video from the evening news, showing photos from the day of the sabotage: http://dagskra.ruv.is/sjonvarpid/4498095/2010/08/25/14