Day of demonstrations

Yesterday I witnessed something that was quite unusual in Finland until last May Day. It was a weekend busy with demonstrations in Helsinki before ASEM (Asia-Europe meeting) gathers to interegional summit today. Demonstrators demanded human rights for Asia, and reminded that different kind of Europe is possible, especially for immigrants. I was happy to find out that this was the first time in the ten-year history of Asem that the representatives of several NGOs were welcomed to bring their greetings to politicians. 

A group called Sm*sh Asem had called together a "demonstration" that was planned to be violent. So being there anyway I went to do some prayer walking among the people gathered in the square of the museum of modern arts in the centre. It was definately worth going since I have never seen so many journalists, photographers and policemen in my life! Before the people most of whom we curious watchers noticed, we were surrounded by some 200 hundred police who were equipped with shields and helmets. The street was also blocked with four busses as the police announced that the demonstration was cancelled because the police hadn't found agreement with the organizers of the event.

The incident was the main news both yesterday and today and raised many questions in media: Why was the crowd surrounded before no one committed a crime? Was the police overreacting going against some 100 young anarchists with many hundred officers?  Did the police's strict behaviour and surrounding the people entice the already emotional young people to attack?

Actually it seemed that several journalists were siding with the anarchists saying that they didn't see any violense, no stones thrown at police. And asking why more than hundred young people were detained since there were only less than hundred anarchists present. Some curious outsiders were blocked into the area for hours since the police didn't let anyone leave. Somehow I managed to get out of the site after the first hour just to realize that all of the centre was closed by the police who were calmly redirecting the traffic (I still hadn't seen any violence). 

I have my own questions: Is there something wrong with the news if some young anarchists make the main topic of the news with simple aggressive behaviour while several thousand serious demonstrators with a message hardly get noticed? Aren't there other believers who feel called to intervene by being present and praying at these kinds of incidents? Has the universal threat of terrorism somehow confused us so that we can't find ways other than force to handle some dosens of bitter youngsters, or do we really have to do this to prove to manage the EU presidency?

Comments

[mari]

mä en seurannu tota kohua, mutta näin äkkiseltään mun mielestä on loogista, että valtio vastasi väkivaltaiseksi suunniteltuun mielenosotukseen tuolla tavalla. Sama on nähtävissä terrorismin vastaisessa toiminnassa, jossa terroristeilta pyritään samantien "ottamaan luulot pois". Valtion on pakko suojella omaa voimankäytön legitimiteettiään aika kovin ottein, jos meinaa sen tässä ajassa ja tulevaisuudessa säilyttää. todennäköisesti laajoilla turvatoimilla muutenkin asemin ja eu puheenjohtajuuteen liittyen on ollut tarkoitus näyttää maailmalle,niin ku sanoitkin, että suomi pystyy vastaaman uhkiin ja että suomi ottaa todesta turvallisuuden säilyttämisen.
ja joskus on vaan edullisempaa ampua yli, kuin ottaa riskejä...