Protesters in Greenland denounce opening of new US consulate

Hundreds of people marched through Greenland's capital Thursday to protest the opening of a larger US consulate.

Videos circulated on social media showed protesters shouting "Go home USA!"

Demonstrators also carried signs saying "We don't want your money" while guests inside the newly opened diplomatic outpost in central Nuuk attended a reception marking the expansion.

The upgraded consulate is part of a broader US effort to expand its diplomatic and strategic presence in Greenland, a semiautonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, amid President Donald Trump's continued interest in the Arctic island.

Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen declined to attend the opening ceremony and several other officials also skipped the event as relations with Washington remain strained. Lawmakers have also publicly rejected invitations to consulate events, citing the political climate.

US Ambassador to Denmark Ken Howery said the United States has ruled out the use of force and emphasized that Greenland's future must be decided by Greenlanders.

Despite those assurances, the opening highlighted growing public opposition and political unease over the expanded US presence on the island.