U.K. Embassy in Iceland attacked

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33235, 26 May 1973, Page 15

U.K. Embassy in Iceland attacked

(N.Z. P.A. -Reuter—Copy right)

REYKJAVIK, Mav 25.

\\ orKmen today began to clear the debris and repair damage at the British Embassy in Reykjavik after a three-hour assault yesterday by thousands of young Icelanders hurling stones.

The Embassy buildings and grounds looked I like a wasteland, with every pane of glass shattered. Trees and fences in the garden were also torn down, 1 broken into missiles and* thrown at the Embassy. j Damage was estimated at; several million Icelandic; crowns (tens of thousands of i dollars). The attack and three-hour siege of the Embassy was after a mass meeting in Reykjavik’s main square to protest against the presence of Royal Navy frigates inside Iceland’s claimed 50-mile fishing limit. The three Navy vessels moved into the area last week-end to support British trawlers fishing there. About 100 policemen were on duty at the time of the attack by the 3000 to 4000 de- I monstrators. Police said that; they did everything possible

■ to avoid the incident and pre|vented anyone from breaking (into the building, where the Ambassador (Mr John McKenzie) and the Embassy l staff were trapped. No-one : was reported hurt. The Icelandic Cabinet was still meeting early today to ■discuss the situation. In London, the British Foreign SecTeary (Sir Alec DouglasHome) protested to the Icelandic Charge d’Affaires and i demanded full compensation ! for the damage done. It is now felt certain that Iceland will shortly take its case to the N.A.T.O. council in Brussels and demand that the Royal Navy be ordered to leave the waters. Iceland is also virtually certain to raise the matter with the General Assembly and Security Council of the United Nations, charging Britain with aggression. Early today, the Fisheries .Minister (Mr Ludvin Josefjsson) ruled out an offer from (Norway to mediate in the dispute, saying that there was

no need for conciliation. He added that Iceland was fighting for its life and had only one demand, that the Royal Navy should be ordered out of its waters.

Iceland unilaterally extended its fishing limit from the usual international boundary of 12 miles to 50 miles last September to protect its vital fishing industry.