Big police presence in Helsinki for Close the Borders demo

        In Finland's capital a vast number of police squads were present to monitor an anti-immigration demonstration and associated gatherings.

Demonstrations kept police busy in Helsinki on Saturday. A motorcade of police vehicles and officers attired in bulletproof tactical gear drew gazes from onlookers.

       Some 150 demonstrators gathered in the centre at 3 pm to protest Finland's immigration policy with the slogan "close the borders". The Kamppi square also drew a 200-person counter-demonstration of pro-immigration protesters.Police isolated the two demonstrations on opposite sides of the Square.

         The Close the Borders march continued toward the House of the Estates, but was halted at Senate Square where it also ended at 5:30 pm on Saturday.

Police apprehended four counter-demonstrators in the vicinity of the square.

"The violent events in Sweden are sure to have fueled emotions," says Helsinki police commander Jarmo Heinonen. "We have extreme opinions in our society, but the law is the line we must walk."

At 5 pm an anarchist group also assembled at the Narinkka Square. They delivered a sheet with political sentiments to the Finns Party office in response to MP Olli Immonen's racist Facebook remarks and the attack on a Lahti reception centre.

 

Yle Finland