Hundreds of Greenlanders protest outside the United States’ newly opened consulate in Nuuk, Greenland’s capital, as the U.S. establishes what multiple outlets describe as a more permanent diplomatic presence. Demonstrators chant slogans such as “USA go home” and hold Greenlandic flags and signs calling for the U.S. to leave. Several reports link the protests to opposition to President Donald Trump’s comments and wider U.S. interest in greater influence in the Arctic. In January, the White House said Trump was considering ways to acquire Greenland, describing it as strategically important for security in the region.
Reporters also note that some local government figures avoid the event. Accounts describe local ministers as not attending and, in one instance, Greenland’s prime minister saying the opening is not something local leaders have reason to support. Protestors position their opposition as a defense of Greenland’s self-governance while the U.S. moves operations from an earlier location outside Nuuk to a larger consulate in the city. The consulate is described as the first U.S. consular facility in Greenland since the 1950s.
