Prosecution calls for jail sentences in 2006 May Day riots

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The prosecution in a trial involving rioting that took place during May Day celebrations in Helsinki in 2006 called for non-suspended prison sentences against eight people.
      All of the defendants, who range in age from 18 to 28, denied the charges at Tuesday's session.
      On the night of April 30th, 2006, a group of between 200 and 300 young people gathered for an impromptu celebration at the old railway warehouses, which have since been demolished. According to prosecutor Otto Jämsén, the four defendants set fires in the area.
      The prosecution alleges that the defendants threw assorted pieces of wood - logs, beams, a wooden pallet, and a loading platform - into the flames.
      Only one of the defendants denies adding any fuel to the fire. Three others admit to throwing wood, but said that by that time the bonfire was already blazing, and that nobody was endangered by their action.
      Hence they do not feel that any vandalism was involved.
     
The prosecutor nevertheless feels that these actions alone are serious enough to merit a prison sentence for two of the defendants. Two others are also accused of attacking police.
      The prosecution says that people on the spot were compelled to breathe toxic gases. In addition, the sparks could have set fire to the roof structures of the buildings themselves.
      "The situation was truly dangerous for the large number of young people and for officials who arrived at the spot", Jämsén said.
      The fire brigade arrived to put out the fire, but had to retreat after some of the young revellers resisted their efforts. Thirteen riot police arrived to protect the firefighters, after which dozens of people started pelting the police and firefighters with stones, bottles, and pieces of wood.
      The prosecutor says that six of the defendants were among those throwing objects at the police, while one collected bottles to be thrown, and built barricades against the police. He said that this constituted violent resistance against an official, and violent rioting.
      The defendants say that all but one of their group threw nothing, nor did they help others to do so.
      The only one to admit to throwing anything at the police said that the act was so insignificant as not to constitute a crime.
      Some of the defendants admitted to standing in front of the row of police, taunting them with chants in various languages, including "F**k the police", and "Eins zwei drei, Nazi Polizei".
      Some also said that they had memory gaps due to heavy drinking.
      During the riot, the police were forced to retreat by the heavy resistance. Twelve police officers were injured.
     
One of the defendants, charged with trying to light a fire inside the warehouse building, is not arriving at the trial until Thursday.
      Five days later another fire broke out, destroying part of the condemned building.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Police searching for "organised core group" in Sunday night´s melee at storehouses (3.5.2006)
  Riot police battle crowds throwing stones and lighting fires on May Day Eve (2.5.2006)
  Police make progress in railway warehouse arson investigations (8.5.2006)
  Police wish to remand two men over May Day Eve riots (4.5.2006)

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