Police criticised for handling of Smash Asem protest

The Helsinki Police operated on the brink of the confines of the law and occasionally crossed over the line in its handling of the Smash Asem demonstration in the capital just over a year ago. This was the finding of the report by the Deputy Parliamentary Ombudsman Jukka Lindstedt, which was made public on Wednesday.
     
The demonstration took place in connection with the 6th ASEM (Asia-Europe Meeting) Summit on the 9th of September, 2006.
      The police apprehended a total of 136 individuals in front of the Museum of Modern Art, Kiasma, and elsewhere in downtown Helsinki. The Parliamentary Ombudsman’s Office received over 60 complaints against the police’s way of handling the situation.
      The overseer of legality gave most remarks in connection with the detaining of people. Lindstedt admonished a police sergeant and the Helsinki Police Department in connection with four apprehensions.
      The police sergeant had decided to detain two people simply because they had consumed alcohol and had planned on taking part in the demonstration. In two other cases the police was unable to produce any kind of legal arguments for the individuals' taking into custody.
     
Some of those apprehended had been chained to their bus seats for a period of over two hours. Some of them had to resort to urinating on the bus floor. They were helped by the members of the frontier guard while being looked on by several other people. Lindstedt regards such treatment as humiliating.
      The detainees were also chained to their bus seats while the bus was moving, although such a practice contravenes a Ministry of the Interior safety ruling.
      According to Lindstedt, the interruption of the demonstration was justifiable, but the extent and duration of the police operation were questionable.
      The police emphasised the effectiveness of their actions and put little weight on the liberty of individuals.
      "From the point of view of basic- and human rights, such a one-sided interpretation is problematic", Lindstedt argues.
     
Chief Inspector Teuvo Saikkonen has promised that the Helsinki Police will take in Lindstedt's criticism ands learn from it.
      According to Saikkonen, the police will have to re-evaluate, among other things, how easily people are detained and how the authorities can verify afterwards each apprehended individual's doings during the protest.
      Data Protection Ombudsman Reijo Aarnio also published his inquiry into the police activities during the Smash Asem protest on Wednesday. In his view the police operated within proper bounds while photographing the demonstrators and recording their personal details.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Prosecutor drops ASEM charges against MP Paavo Arhinmäki (1.11.2007)
  Police face assault charges of using excess force during Smash Asem riot (12.3.2007)
  86 face trial over Smash ASEM riot (24.5.2007)
  Police action in ASEM demo sparks more than 25 complaints (14.9.2006)
  Some police officers suspected of crimes committed during Smash ASEM demonstration still unidentified (8.5.2007)

See also:
  Articles on ASEM in Helsinki, September 2006 (12.9.2006)