A demonstration by a group calling itself the "Gate Crashers" again
disrupted the arrival of some of the approximately 2,000 invited guests at
the President's official Independence Day reception at the Presidential
Palace on Friday evening.
A force of about 300 police had their hands full trying to contain the
group of more than 400 youthful protesters, for whom the demonstration
against social inequality has become something of an Independence Day
tradition.
There had been talk among the protesters that there might be an attempt to
take over the Presidential Palace, and on a few occasions the police lines
some distance from the building were close to breaking.
The standard tactic of the demonstrators was to block the paths of taxis
taking guests to the ball and to encircle the vehicles.
A few times the situation started to look very serious. On one occasion a
large taxi, blocked by dozens of protesters, revved up its engine and
surged forward a couple of metres, but the protesters did not move.
Then two young men jumped on top of the car, beating on its windows. The
car suffered a few dents, and it retreated in reverse.
A few taxi entrepreneurs filed criminal complaints over the events of the
night.
Some heated arguments and minor jostling also broke out between
demonstrators and passers- by.
While the protest ostensibly was about social inequality, some of the
demonstrators appeared to be in it simply for the fun of clashing with the
police.
Some of those attending drank wine and beer and a few bottles flew over the
heads of the police.
There were some shouts calling for a "class war", while others called the
police fascists. Those arriving at the palace were denounced as "parasites".
The crowd would back off each time the police took out their truncheons;
they had to actually use the sticks only a few times.
A total of 12 protesters were detained, five of whom were not released
until Saturday. A few of the protesters were fined.
The official themes of the "Gate Crashers' Celebration 2002" were
solidarity and justice. The protesters also opposed neo-liberal economics
and increasing inequality, and were calling for a guaranteed income for
all. The crowd also expressed opposition to possible US military action in
Iraq, and at one point an American flag was trampled.
One of the invited guests at the reception, opposition Centre Party MP
Lauri Oinonen, later submitted a written question to the Speaker of
Parliament on the chaotic events outside the Presidential Palace on
Independence Day.
Oinonen also filed an official criminal complaint against those who
attacked the taxi that was carrying him and his wife to the reception.
He said that masked demonstrators had stopped the taxi and climbed on the
roof, kicking its doors, breaking one of its signal lights, and shouting at
Oinonen's wife, who was sitting in the back seat.
On Sunday Oinonen sharply criticised a statement made on Saturday by
Interior Minister Ville It�l� (Nat. Coalition), who had said in a
television interview that security measures outside the Presidential Palace
had been successful.
"This statement by the minister is in powerful conflict with reality",
Oinonen charged in a statement issued on Sunday.
Link: http://www.helsinki-hs.net/news.asp?id=20021209IE1
http://www.infoshop.org/inews/stories.php?story=02/12/09/1720426
Pics and comments.You dunno wot youse R missin'
