Elm Conflict: Difference between revisions
partof not used for this. See Template:Infobox civil conflict |
format ref |
||
| Line 42: | Line 42: | ||
The '''Elm Conflict''' (Swedish: ''Almstriden''), also known as the '''Battle of the Elms''' (Swedish: ''Slaget om almarna''), was a dispute and protest on 11–12 May 1971. Organised by [[Alternativ stad]] (the Stockholm branch of [[Friends of the Earth]]), the dispute centred on the planned destruction of thirteen [[Scots elm]] trees located at the entrance to the [[Kungsträdgården metro station]], [[Kungsträdgården]], Stockholm, Sweden. The Stockholm city council, supported by the Swedish government, proposed to cut down the trees to prevent damage to the nearby subway. |
The '''Elm Conflict''' (Swedish: ''Almstriden''), also known as the '''Battle of the Elms''' (Swedish: ''Slaget om almarna''), was a dispute and protest on 11–12 May 1971. Organised by [[Alternativ stad]] (the Stockholm branch of [[Friends of the Earth]]), the dispute centred on the planned destruction of thirteen [[Scots elm]] trees located at the entrance to the [[Kungsträdgården metro station]], [[Kungsträdgården]], Stockholm, Sweden. The Stockholm city council, supported by the Swedish government, proposed to cut down the trees to prevent damage to the nearby subway. |
||
The Elm Conflict led to an examination of the need for citizens to have more input into the decision making process of the city council, and received significant attention in Swedish national media.<ref>[http://su.diva-portal.org/smash/record.jsf?pid=diva2:197665 Abstract in English of Daniel Helldén, ''Demokratin utmanas: almstriden och det politiska etablissemanget''] |
The Elm Conflict led to an examination of the need for citizens to have more input into the decision making process of the city council, and received significant attention in Swedish national media.<ref>[http://su.diva-portal.org/smash/record.jsf?pid=diva2:197665 Abstract in English of Daniel Helldén, ''Demokratin utmanas: almstriden och det politiska etablissemanget'']. Stockholm studies in politics, Stockholm 2005. Retrieved 2 June 2014.</ref> |
||
==Background== |
==Background== |
||
Revision as of 19:54, 15 June 2014
| Elm Conflict | |
|---|---|
| Date | 11–12 May 1971 |
| Location | |
| Methods | |
| Resulted in | Subway station moved east |
The Elm Conflict (Swedish: Almstriden), also known as the Battle of the Elms (Swedish: Slaget om almarna), was a dispute and protest on 11–12 May 1971. Organised by Alternativ stad (the Stockholm branch of Friends of the Earth), the dispute centred on the planned destruction of thirteen Scots elm trees located at the entrance to the Kungsträdgården metro station, Kungsträdgården, Stockholm, Sweden. The Stockholm city council, supported by the Swedish government, proposed to cut down the trees to prevent damage to the nearby subway.
The Elm Conflict led to an examination of the need for citizens to have more input into the decision making process of the city council, and received significant attention in Swedish national media.[1]
Background
In 1970, subway construction workers found a crack in the subway structure in the vicinity of the Scots elms.[2] Officials decided that undertaking repairs would be too difficult, so they proposed to cut down the trees and place the entrance to the new subway station at that location.[3] Stockholm parks manager Holger Blom noted that because of their age the trees would not last much longer regardless.[4] Stockholm politicians and technicians tried to persuade the citizens via an advertising campaign that the trees needed to be removed. The city council voted 63 to 34 in favour of removing the trees.[4] On 23 April 1972, Prime Minister Olof Palme's government approved the final plans for the subway station at Kungsträdgården.[2]
Protests
On 12 May, nearly a thousand citizens of Stockholm gathered in a demonstration against the Scots elms being removed. Tents were put up in the vicinity of the trees.[3]
The protests were well-organised. The protesters made phone lists (an early form of the smart mob technique of public mobilisation) in case the police entered the tent camps. Some people climbed the trees to deter workers from chopping them down.[2] The situation escalated when government officials started chainsawing the trees under the protection of police. At one point, officers on horseback charged the demonstrators. Singer Cornelis Vreeswijk was present at the protest, singing songs and offering support. The protests were covered extensively in the press.[5]
Aftermath
The protesters were criticised in the media for being uncivil and undemocratic. The result of the protests was that the new subway station was moved east to a private property at Arsenalgatan 10. Most of the Scots elms remain at the site as of 2014[update], though a few were chopped down by government officials before the protesters stopped further work.[3] The protests and the outcome are considered a turning point in the redevelopment of Norrmalm and have contributed to more attention being paid by the Swedish government to public demands and questions.[3]
A 40th anniversary commemoration of the Elm Conflict was held on 11 May 2011.[6]
In May 2014, the current municipal leaders again decided that the Scots elms should be chopped down. After strong protests, the decision was put on hold. Stockholm city council plans to hold a meeting in August 2014 to brief the public on this and other development issues.[7]
References
- ^ Abstract in English of Daniel Helldén, Demokratin utmanas: almstriden och det politiska etablissemanget. Stockholm studies in politics, Stockholm 2005. Retrieved 2 June 2014.
- ^ a b c "Tio år efter Almstriden" (in Swedish). SVT.se. Retrieved 30 May 2014.
- ^ a b c d "Tehuset och almarna. Striden satte djupa spår i svensk planering" (in Swedish). Sveriges Arkitekter. Retrieved 30 May 2014.
- ^ a b "Almstriden – en våldsam aktion och en folkfest" (in Swedish). Jordens Vänner. Retrieved 30 May 2014.
- ^ "Almarna 11 maj – Bakgrund" (in Swedish). Alternativstad.nu. Retrieved 31 May 2014.
- ^ "Almstriden" (in Swedish). Alternativstad.nu. Retrieved 30 May 2014.
- ^ "Almstriden får politiker att backa" (in Swedish). Helahelsingland.se. Retrieved 31 May 2014.