THE U.S. opening of a larger diplomatic hub in Greenland on Thursday (May 21) was met by demonstrators opposed to President Donald Trump's ambition for greater influence in the Arctic island, while local government ministers shied away from the event.
Footage shared on social media showed demonstrators marching through the streets, carrying the island's red and white flag and chanting.
Reuters verified the location from buildings and road layout that match satellite and archive imagery from the area. Video was filmed in front of the new US Consulate coordinates: 64.174602, -51.737817. The date was verified from original metadata and reports of protests in the area.
Moving from a wooden cabin on the outskirts of Nuuk to a much larger downtown office, the new United States consulate has become a focal point for Greenlanders unhappy with Trump's stated desire to control the island, a semi-autonomous part of Denmark.
Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen and a series of other politicians said that they had declined invitations to attend the opening of the new diplomatic mission.
Several hundred people demonstrated outside the consulate, carrying the island's red and white flag and posters that said "USA, stop it," while chanting "No means no" and "Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders."
The new venue has greater capacity and offers an outstanding space for U.S. diplomatic engagement in Greenland, a State Department spokesperson said.
