The police and the pots and pans revolution

Abstract

The so-called „pots and pans revolution“, or popular protests and riots in central Reykjavík from November 2008 to January 2009, is a unique event in Icelandic history. The length of the protests, the riots and the result, that a legally elected government was forced to resign and new elections were called, are all unique. The police also faced new tasks. One of the noteworthy elements is a surprising „lack of“ physical violence during the protests. This article searches for explanations for this and is based on qualitative interviews with 13 policemen who were active during these dramatic weeks. Among the explanations for little violence are the training of the police and depersonalization, the feeling that the police was always on top of the events, a general sympathy with the protesters and little real fear of them.