From Ambassador (“Culture Night” and a knife attack)
2024/9/10
In memory of Bryndís Klara Birgisdóttir, many of the students and staff of the Iceland School of Commerce wore pink on Sep 2. Photo courtesy: Verzlunarskóli Íslands
It is said that “Iceland is a safe country,” which is often true, but a tragic incident that shook up this generally shared view took place the other day.
Culture Night (Mennigarnótt in Icelandic) was held on Saturday, August 24 this year, a particularly lively event with museums opening their doors to the public free of charge during the daytime and live outdoor performances being held in various locations. During an event in Reykjavik, a 16-year-old boy stabbed people with a knife.
Three people were involved in the incident, one of whom, Bryndís Klara, 17, sadly passed away in the hospital on August 30.
Although it is not widely reported, there have been several other knife assaults like this involving young people. In the aftermath of this incident, an outdoor concert scheduled for this weekend has been postponed. Up until now, we have rarely seen heavy security guards at large gatherings or concerts in Iceland, but this may change in the future.
After the incident, Police Commissioner Sigríður Björk Guðjónsdóttir warned that the recent increase in the number of young people carrying knives and other deadly weapons cannot be ignored. At the same time, she said that while serious cases must be dealt with severe punishment, it is necessary to recognize that these young people are only a small percentage of the population and that they are a group that often faces various difficulties, and that society as a whole, including the police, parents, schools, and child protection departments, must respond in a way that helps them.
Short-sighted responses such as heavy penalties for juvenile crime are counterproductive.
Police officers in Iceland generally do not carry guns, but tasers will soon be deployed. It has been pointed out that the police force is understaffed, and their safety when dealing with violent incidents is also an issue. We will keep a close eye on future developments.
Culture Night (Mennigarnótt in Icelandic) was held on Saturday, August 24 this year, a particularly lively event with museums opening their doors to the public free of charge during the daytime and live outdoor performances being held in various locations. During an event in Reykjavik, a 16-year-old boy stabbed people with a knife.
Three people were involved in the incident, one of whom, Bryndís Klara, 17, sadly passed away in the hospital on August 30.
Although it is not widely reported, there have been several other knife assaults like this involving young people. In the aftermath of this incident, an outdoor concert scheduled for this weekend has been postponed. Up until now, we have rarely seen heavy security guards at large gatherings or concerts in Iceland, but this may change in the future.
After the incident, Police Commissioner Sigríður Björk Guðjónsdóttir warned that the recent increase in the number of young people carrying knives and other deadly weapons cannot be ignored. At the same time, she said that while serious cases must be dealt with severe punishment, it is necessary to recognize that these young people are only a small percentage of the population and that they are a group that often faces various difficulties, and that society as a whole, including the police, parents, schools, and child protection departments, must respond in a way that helps them.
Short-sighted responses such as heavy penalties for juvenile crime are counterproductive.
Police officers in Iceland generally do not carry guns, but tasers will soon be deployed. It has been pointed out that the police force is understaffed, and their safety when dealing with violent incidents is also an issue. We will keep a close eye on future developments.