Haukur Hilmarsson (22 July 1986 – 24 February 2018) was an Icelandic political activist.[1][2] He played a crucial role in initiating a movement for the rights of refugees in Iceland.[3] He rose to prominence during the 2009 Icelandic financial crisis protests after climbing to the roof of the house of the Icelandic parliament, Alþingishúsið, and hoisting the flag of the Bónus supermarket chain on the building's flagpole.[4][5] His arrest two weeks later[6][7] resulted in an attempt by a crowd of protesters to storm the Icelandic Police headquarters in downtown Reykjavík where Haukur was held and from where he was subsequently released.[8][9][10]

Haukur Hilmarsson
Born(1986-07-22)22 July 1986
Died24 February 2018(2018-02-24) (aged 31)
Cause of deathTurkish airstrike
NationalityIcelandic
Other namesSahin Hosseini (nom de guerre)
Occupation(s)Political activist, internationalist volunteer fighter
Organization International Freedom Battalion
The Bónus flag, raised by Haukur, hanging over the Icelandic parliament building.

Death edit

Haukur traveled to Syria in 2017 and joined an anarchist unit of the International Freedom Battalion called Revolutionary Union for Internationalist Solidarity (RUIS) alongside the YPG. He participated in the liberation of Raqqa that same year.[11] On 6 March 2018 Turkish media reported that Haukur had been killed in a Turkish airstrike in Afrin on 24 February.[12][13][14] As of February 2021, his body had not been retrieved.[15]

Personal life edit

Haukur was the son of Icelandic activist and writer Eva Hauksdóttir.[4][16]

References edit

  1. ^ Alma Ómarsdóttir (7 March 2018). "Aktífisti og baráttumaður fyrir hælisleitendur". RÚV (in Icelandic). Retrieved 8 March 2018.
  2. ^ "Íslendingur sagður hafa verið myrtur af tyrkneska hernum í Sýrlandi". Stundin (in Icelandic). 7 March 2018. Retrieved 8 March 2018.
  3. ^ "Flugbrautahlauparinn sér ekki eftir neinu". Vísir. 7 March 2008.
  4. ^ a b Steindór Grétar Jónsson (9 March 2018). "Baráttumaður fyrir landamæralausum heimi". Stundin (in Icelandic). Retrieved 9 March 2018.
  5. ^ "Bónusfánamaður handtekinn". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). 22 November 2008. Retrieved 8 March 2018.
  6. ^ "Var ekki handtekinn til að koma í veg fyrir þátttöku í mótmælum". Vísir.is (in Icelandic). 23 November 2008. Retrieved 8 March 2018.
  7. ^ "Boðuð mótmæli höfðu ekki áhrif á handtöku Hauks". Vísir.is (in Icelandic). 23 November 2008. Retrieved 8 March 2018.
  8. ^ "Mótmælendur réðust inn í lögreglustöðina". Fréttablaðið. 23 November 2008. pp. 1, 6. Retrieved 8 March 2018.
  9. ^ "Frjáls fánamaður krefst byltingar". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 22 November 2008. Archived from the original on 9 March 2018. Retrieved 8 March 2018.
  10. ^ Önundur Páll Ragnarsson (23 November 2008). "Reyndu að frelsa mann úr varðhaldi". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). Retrieved 8 March 2018.
  11. ^ "Móðir Hauks óskar eftir upplýsingum um hann". Stundin (in Icelandic). 7 March 2018. Retrieved 8 March 2018.
  12. ^ Birgir Olgeirsson; Kolbeinn Tumi Daðason; Samúel Karl Ólason (7 March 2018). "Íslendingur sagður hafa fallið í stríðsátökum í Sýrlandi". Vísir.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 8 March 2018.
  13. ^ Etkin Haber Ajansı (6 March 2018). "EÖT savaşçısı İzlandalı Haukur Hilmarsson şehit düştü". etha.com (in Turkish). Archived from the original on 6 March 2018. Retrieved 8 March 2018.
  14. ^ Spencer, Richard (9 March 2018). "Veteran Icelandic activist Haukur Hilmarsson killed fighting for Kurds in Syria". The Times. Retrieved 9 March 2018.
  15. ^ Júlía Margrét Einarsdóttir; Sigmar Guðmundsson (9 February 2021). "Hann væri búinn að hafa samband". RÚV (in Icelandic). Retrieved 16 December 2021.
  16. ^ "Eva norn gefur út bók um ýlandi dræsur". Vísir.is (in Icelandic). 25 March 2010. Retrieved 9 March 2018.