Icelandic art-pop singer Björk has called for Greenland’s independence following US President Donald Trump’s comments about wanting to annex the territory.
Art-pop singer Björk wrote on social media yesterday (January 5th), sharing a message of solidarity with the people of Greenland after US President Donald Trump and his administration issued another threat of taking over the territory following the capture of Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro.
On Saturday (January 3), The Atlantic would quote Trump saying, “We do need Greenland, absolutely. We need it for defense.” He would go on to reiterate his stance to reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday (January 4), reigniting tensions between America and Greenland.
Following Trump’s comments, Björk would share a statement calling for Greenland’s independence, writing:
“I wish all Greenlanders blessing in their fight for independence,” the singer would write. “Colonialism has repeatedly given me horror chills up my back, and the chance that my fellow Greenlanders might go from one cruel coloniser to another is too brutal to even imagine. ‘Úr öskunni í eldinn,’ like we say in Icelandic.” (Which translates to “From the ashes into the fire.” per The Rolling Stone).
You can read her full message below:
While Björk doesn’t directly name Trump in her statement or his comments, her message still alludes to the President’s ambitions to annex the territory. Her message would draw attention to Greenland’s colonial past with Denmark, citing two stories in which the countries asserted control over Greenland’s people. The Icelandic singer would also go on to share that her home country felt “extremely relieved that they managed to break from the Danish” and “didn’t lose our language”.
Following Trump’s comments on Sunday, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen responded to the US President in a statement on Facebook: “[O]n the side of the United States, stop the threats against a historically close ally and to another country and another people, who have very clearly stated that they are not for sale.” Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen has also called Trump’s remarks “very rude and disrespectful.”
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