ASEM

Complaints filed on police action during Smash Asem protest

Chancellor of Justice and Parliamentary Ombudsman to investigate charges

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Actions taken by police during clashes with demonstrators taking part in the Smash Asem protest in the centre of Helsinki on Saturday are to be assessed by other officials.
      At a press conference on Tuesday, Minister of the Interior Kari Rajamäki and National Police Commissioner Markku Salminen defended the actions of the police.
      Data Protection Ombudsman Reijo Aarnioas well as either Deputy Parliamentary Ombudsman Jukka Lindstedt or Deputy Chancellor of State Jaakko Jonkka will investigate complaints submitted on Monday concerning police procedures during the anarchists’ demonstration.
      One of those detained, a photographer for the weekly news magazine Suomen Kuvalehti, was held in custody for 18 hours.
     
The complaints concerned allegations that people were arbitrarily detained, encircled and prevented from leaving, photographed, and their personal information recorded at and nearby the Kiasma art museum and its vicinity.
      Police surrounded hundreds of people, limited the free movement of even more, and detained 136.
      Lindstedt said that at the very least, the police will be asked to provide a report on matters raised in the complaints. "It is also possible that we will make a broader study on the action of the police", he added.
      The offices of the Parliamentary Ombudsman and the Chancellor of Justice will agree amongst themselves, if either, or both bodies will investigate the matter.
     
Data Protection Ombudsman Reijo Aarnio will ask the police to clarify what information the police collected on the people at the location of the melee, if the information has been recorded in some register, and how the information is to be destroyed.
      "I understand that passers-by and others who were not involved, were blockaded. The police took down information and photographed them. This has raised concern among people, some of whom are afraid that the information will come up during job interviews, for instance. Our purpose is to see if everything went according to law", Aarnio says.
      Jouko Salo, chief inspector of police in Helsinki, says that data concerning those suspected of crimes will be included in the preliminary investigation material, as is normally the case. The information on others is to be destroyed, once the investigation is completed.
      "The information will not end up in any registers", Salo promises.
     
At Tuesday’s press conference, Interior Minister Rajamäki praised the actions of the police as successful.
      "The police decided to prepare for Smash Asem with sufficient manpower and equipment, so that as little force as possible would be needed." He also noted that objects were found in the possession of the demonstrators that had nothing to do with the protest. "It is nevertheless good that the actions of the police are evaluated and that a critical view is taken."
      National Police Commissioner Markku Salminen was also satisfied. He said that after rioting on the night before the First of May holiday, the police decided to make better preparations to prevent an unruly event from spreading.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Articles on ASEM in Helsinki, September 2006

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