Thousands of Greenlanders marched in the capital Nuuk to oppose US President Donald Trump’s declared interest in taking over the Arctic island, a self-governing territory under the Danish throne.
The protest, according to officials, was the largest to ever be staged in the country.
They held signs of protest, waved their national flag and chanted “Greenland is not for sale” in support of their own self-governance in the face of increasing threats of a US takeover.
Just as they finished their trek from the small downtown of Greenland's capital city Nuuk to the US Consulate, the news of Trump announcing he will charge a 10% tariff on goods from eight European countries over their opposition to US control of Greenland broke.
Trump said all products from Denmark, Sweden, Norway, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Finland and the United Kingdom would be subject to an additional 10% tariff, which could be increased to 25% by June, to be paid until "a deal is reached for the complete and total purchase of Greenland.
"I thought this day could not get any worse, but it just did. I'm actually quite more shocked than I was before, because I heard yesterday that he was trying to do it, but now when he's saying the specific countries, just shows he has no remorse for any kind of human being now," said Malik Dollerup-Scheibel, a protester.
Trump has long said he thinks Washington should own the strategically located and mineral-rich island, a self-governing territory of Denmark. Trump intensified his calls a day after the military operation to oust former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro earlier this month.
Dollerup-Scheibel, a 21-year-old Greenlander, and Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen were among what others described as the island's biggest protest, drawing nearly a quarter of Nuuk's population.
Others held rallies and solidarity marches across the Danish realm, including in Copenhagen, as well as in the capital of the Inuit-governed territory of Nunavut in Canada's far north.
“This is important for the whole world,” said Elise Riechie, a Danish protester holding Danish and Greenlandic flags in Copenhagen. “There are many small countries. None of them are for sale.”
In Nuuk, Greenlanders of all ages listened to traditional songs as they marched to the consulate.
Marie Pedersen, a 47-year-old Greenlander, said it was important to bring her children to the rally "to show them that they’re allowed to speak up.”
“We want to keep our own country and our own culture, and our family safe," she said.
Her 9-year-old daughter, Alaska, crafted her own “Greenland is not for sale” sign. The girl said her teachers have addressed the controversy and taught them about NATO at school.
“They tell us how to stand up if you’re being bullied by another country or something,” she said.
SOURCE-EURONEWS