Iceland grieves after police kill a man for the first time in its history

[Roger Bacon]

Why is crime almost non existent in Iceland? Why were crime rates so low in Northern Europe prior to the last few decades?

Is Iceland the only Western country that hasn't lost their marbles?


Iceland grieves after police kill a man for the first time in its history




It was an unprecedented headline in Iceland this week — a man shot to death by police.

"The nation was in shock. This does not happen in our country," said Thora Arnorsdottir, news editor at RUV, the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service.

She was referring to a 59-year old man who was shot by police on Monday. The man, who started shooting at police when they entered his building, had a history of mental illness.

It's the first time someone has been killed by armed police in Iceland since it became an independent republic in 1944. Police don't even carry weapons, usually. Violent crime in Iceland is almost non-existent.

"The nation does not want its police force to carry weapons because it's dangerous, it's threatening," Arnorsdottir says. "It's a part of the culture. Guns are used to go hunting as a sport, but you never see a gun."

In fact, Iceland isn't anti-gun. In terms of per-capita gun ownership, Iceland ranks 15th in the world. Still, this incident was so rare that neighbors of the man shot were comparing the shooting to a scene from an American film.

Read more: http://www.pri.org/stories/2013-12-03/iceland-grieves-after-police-kill-man-first-time-its-history

[24KT]

Iceland grieves after police kill a man for the first time in its history




Read more: http://www.pri.org/stories/2013-12-03/iceland-grieves-after-police-kill-man-first-time-its-history

Wow Roger, sometimes you & I think alike, ...only sometimes. 

[James28]

Nobody is poor (socialism works over there) and minimal immigrants.

[JOHN MATRIX]

Very tiny population, all of the same(quality)culture and race, good quality of life standards

[whork]

Nobody is poor (socialism works over there) and minimal immigrants.

This...

Makes you feel a little confused Mr. Bacon?

[Shockwave]

Single, unified culture....  frowns on immigration. Small enough that everyone lives a decent lifelifestyle.

I went to school with a guy from Iceland.  They're pretty xenophobic. They dont allow people in and theyre extremely tight knit as a culture. Not a lot of outside influence.

It would never work here.

[James28]

Single, unified culture....  frowns on immigration. Small enough that everyone lives a decent lifelifestyle.

I went to school with a guy from Iceland.  They're pretty xenophobic. They dont allow people in and theyre extremely tight knit as a culture. Not a lot of outside influence.

It would never work here.

This. As much as screaming crazed pumping-fist-by-the-barricade insane liberals would like you to believe,  there's different cultures in mixed ethnicity countries. Culture stick with culture unless on holiday. I want to live between my own people and culture. Ferguson, South Africa,  London,  America, Sweden.  It never works. People are different.

[Skip8282]

Hmmm....gonna have to put visiting Iceland on my list.

[Vince G, CSN MFT]

[Irongrip400]

Hmmm....gonna have to put visiting Iceland on my list.

My wife said it was awesome. They like to party.

[Vince G, CSN MFT]

Single, unified culture....  frowns on immigration. Small enough that everyone lives a decent lifelifestyle.

I went to school with a guy from Iceland.  They're pretty xenophobic. They dont allow people in and theyre extremely tight knit as a culture. Not a lot of outside influence.

It would never work here.

Yep....they are so xenophobic that they kicked McDonald's out of Iceland.  Nicest people you can meet and are very polite but they make it clear that they frown upon any coal burning or oil drilling in their neighborhood.  They do however have a large following for black women for some odd reason.

[catracho]

Population of 320,000, less people than a major university.  means lots of inbreeding.  I read all this talk about how great Iceland is, but I doubt anyone of you is gonna move there. 
Specialy after this!
Airlines monitor possible volcanic activity in Iceland

[catracho]

Hmmm....gonna have to put visiting Iceland on my list.

I was curious, Its August and this all I see is winter clothes, highest temps only go up to mid 50 degrees F or about 14 degrees C. 

[falco]

I was curious, Its August and this all I see is winter clothes, highest temps only go up to mid 50 degrees F or about 14 degrees C. 

The weather in all europe this summer has been loopsided.

[loco]

Why is crime almost non existent in Iceland? Why were crime rates so low in Northern Europe prior to the last few decades?

Small, all white population of drunk, suicidal people.  

Fact: Violent crime in the USA has consistently declined since the 90s.  Reason:  Nobody knows, but some speculate it's in part thanks to the interwebs and the obesity epidemic.  Too many obese criminals prefer to stay home and twitter, facebook and/or post on getbig.

[The True Adonis]

Small, all white population of drunk, suicidal people.  

Fact: Violent crime in the USA has consistently declined since the 90s.  Reason:  Nobody knows, but some speculate it's in part thanks to the interwebs and the obesity epidemic.  Too many obese criminals prefer to stay home and twitter, facebook and/or post on getbig.

Abortion.

Best reducer of crime in future trends.

[The True Adonis]

Looks like most people have a short memory. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008%E2%80%9311_Icelandic_financial_crisis

The 2008–2011 Icelandic financial crisis was a major economic and political event in Iceland that involved the collapse of all three of the country's major privately owned commercial banks, following their difficulties in refinancing their short-term debt and a run on deposits in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Relative to the size of its economy, Iceland's systemic banking collapse is the largest experienced by any country in economic history.[1]

[Dos Equis]

Don't they have a pretty small population? 

[Shockwave]

Looks like most people have a short memory. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008%E2%80%9311_Icelandic_financial_crisis

The 2008–2011 Icelandic financial crisis was a major economic and political event in Iceland that involved the collapse of all three of the country's major privately owned commercial banks, following their difficulties in refinancing their short-term debt and a run on deposits in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Relative to the size of its economy, Iceland's systemic banking collapse is the largest experienced by any country in economic history.[1]

And didnt they jail all the bankers responsible for that and Britain tried to declare them terrorists for doing so?

[Skip8282]

I was curious, Its August and this all I see is winter clothes, highest temps only go up to mid 50 degrees F or about 14 degrees C. 

Yea, probably still be nice for a short visit though.  Wouldn't mind seeing Greenland as well someday.

[Shockwave]

Yea, probably still be nice for a short visit though.  Wouldn't mind seeing Greenland as well someday.

My grandfather spent some time there when he was in the Navy. He said the women were the most beautiful hes ever seen, on amu continent,  and that the scenery was incredible. .. the hot springs he also said were amazing

[Skip8282]

My grandfather spent some time there when he was in the Navy. He said the women were the most beautiful hes ever seen, on amu continent,  and that the scenery was incredible. .. the hot springs he also said were amazing

Nice.  Also looks like there would be some great scuba diving there as well.