Icelanders Protest Economic Crisis

VOA News
Tuesday, Dec 02, 2008

Thousands of Icelanders marked the 90th anniversary of sovereignty from Denmark Monday by demanding the government resign over the country’s economic crisis.

Hundreds of marchers tried to storm central bank headquarters in Reykjavik. They left after a tense hour-long standoff with riot police.

The global financial crisis has left Iceland’s economy in shambles. Three major banks have collapsed, unemployment has soared, and the value of the krona has plunged.

(ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW)

Prime Minister Geir Haarde has refused to resign or call for early elections. He blames Iceland’s economic calamity on commercial bankers.

The government was forced to ask the International Monetary Fund and several countries for a multi-billion-dollar loan.