Pornographers’ Convention CANCELLED!

The SnowGathering 2007 pornographers' convention, set to take place in Reykjavík early next month has been cancelled. The convention's organizers, FreeOnes.com, announced their decision yesterday after receiving word from Hótel Saga - where they had booked several rooms - that their reservations were being cancelled. In an earlier statement from the Icelandic Farmers' Association, Hótel Saga's owners, they announced that they would not be hosting the convention due to announcements from various politicians, feminist groups and they mayor of Reykjavík. The statement also said that the decision was backed up by Rezidor Hotel Group, the proprietors of Radisson SAS hotels. A later announcement stated that the hotel planned to stop showing lite-porn on their Pay Per View channels.

According to a press release, FreeOnes.com are currently seeking legal advice as to how they can recoup the resulting financial damages, which are reportedly high. The group's statement is as follows:

"Driebergen - The Netherlands; 22 February 2007

FreeOnes.com is very sad to announce that the SnowGathering 2007 has been cancelled! The organization sees no other option due to major recent developments like the Radisson Sas Saga Hotel revoking today (22 February 2007) its decision to receive the group at the hotel. Unfortunately the hotel has not been able to cope with the intense media and political pressure and decided to buckle down to the pressure of some groups who share the opinion that choosing your profession is out of the question unless they support this profession. 



FreeOnes.com cannot support or understand the decision taken by the hotel since we have done our utmost to comply with all the wishes and demands requested by the hotel after the whole media explosion. Legal assistance has been sought in this matter since FreeOnes.com believes the cancellation and the consequent financial losses (both material and time wise) have been carried out without any legitimate or legal grounds. Despite of the legal counseling, the SnowGathering can not be held due to this last minute hotel cancellation. 



The SnowGathering has been discussed even by the highest authorities in the country and even today the Police Department and the Department of Immigration are trying to look for ways to refuse entrance into Iceland to attendees of the SnowGathering! This decision has been taken after several statements by FreeOnes.com that we were going to obey all Icelandic laws (especially the ones connected to pornography!). AND even after the guarantee by the Reykjavik Police Department that we were going to be treated like normal tourists. It seems that being connected in any way to pornography has become a new Icelandic law for declaring you persona non grata in their country. A country that seems to care more about adult women taking their clothes off - by their own choice, without any pressure or threat - than about the extinction of living creatures like whales! 



In the last few days FreeOnes.com has been under constant attack of a lot of people and groups, but fortunately there were also people (including a lot of Icelanders) that have shown their support to our event. FreeOnes.com would like to thank everybody who has been able to understand that the discussions in Iceland were not solely about the SnowGathering but about everybody who makes an honest living in this industry.

First statement in response to accusations: http://www.snowgathering.com/statement.html 
Official cancellation statement: http://www.snowgathering.com"

See also:

Porn Conventioneers Hit Back!