Danish police arrest 43 over asylum protest
posted by muis | 26.10.2008 11:28
Danish police arrested at least 43 people and used tear gas in clashes with hundreds of protesters outside a compound for asylum-seekers Saturday.
Activists said the aim of Saturday's demonstration was to protest against a restrictive Danish asylum system and try to close the Sandholm refugee centre.
A spokesman for the North Zealand police said that at least 43 protesters had been arrested during the clashes, but that several had been released by Saturday evening.
Organisers said about 1,500 people took part in the demonstration. It started peacefully but turned into a battle with police when some protesters tried to cut through the fence around the centre.
Sandholm is a former military barracks 20 km (12 miles) north of Copenhagen. Run by the Red Cross, it houses about 500 immigrants.
An asylum request in Denmark is usually processed in about six months, but rejected asylum-seekers who refuse to go home sometimes stay on in camps for years. About 2,000 immigrants live in centres like Sandholm in Denmark.
(Reporting by Martin Burlund; writing by Kim McLaughlin; editing by Andrew Roche)
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The protest was organized by Shut Down the Camp, a group critical of Danish immigration and asylum policies. The group has criticized the Danish Red Cross, which runs Sandholm, saying it gave a stamp of approval to "racist refugee policies."
Shut Down the Camp
http://luklejren.dk/spip.php?article14
Everybody can participate in shutting down the camp!
Where, when and how...
The Disobedience Action in Shut Down The Camp will be confrontative, but non-violent. You will be able to participate at the level that suits you. In the main demonstration there is room for everybody who wish to act up against racism: young and old, parents with children, experienced and inexperienced demonstrators. During the action participants will be informed recurrently about occurrences in and outside the demonstration. . . . . . . . . .
Koordination & Service-gruppen, koordinerer og servicerer aktivister og interesserede · 53 33 95 51
Pressekontakt · 53 33 97 44 · 53 33 97 46 ·
luklejrenpresse@gmail.com
Activists said the aim of Saturday's demonstration was to protest against a restrictive Danish asylum system and try to close the Sandholm refugee centre.
A spokesman for the North Zealand police said that at least 43 protesters had been arrested during the clashes, but that several had been released by Saturday evening.
Organisers said about 1,500 people took part in the demonstration. It started peacefully but turned into a battle with police when some protesters tried to cut through the fence around the centre.
Sandholm is a former military barracks 20 km (12 miles) north of Copenhagen. Run by the Red Cross, it houses about 500 immigrants.
An asylum request in Denmark is usually processed in about six months, but rejected asylum-seekers who refuse to go home sometimes stay on in camps for years. About 2,000 immigrants live in centres like Sandholm in Denmark.
(Reporting by Martin Burlund; writing by Kim McLaughlin; editing by Andrew Roche)
++++++++++++++++++++
The protest was organized by Shut Down the Camp, a group critical of Danish immigration and asylum policies. The group has criticized the Danish Red Cross, which runs Sandholm, saying it gave a stamp of approval to "racist refugee policies."
Shut Down the Camp
http://luklejren.dk/spip.php?article14 Everybody can participate in shutting down the camp!
Where, when and how...
The Disobedience Action in Shut Down The Camp will be confrontative, but non-violent. You will be able to participate at the level that suits you. In the main demonstration there is room for everybody who wish to act up against racism: young and old, parents with children, experienced and inexperienced demonstrators. During the action participants will be informed recurrently about occurrences in and outside the demonstration. . . . . . . . . .
Koordination & Service-gruppen, koordinerer og servicerer aktivister og interesserede · 53 33 95 51
Pressekontakt · 53 33 97 44 · 53 33 97 46 ·
luklejrenpresse@gmail.com
posted by muis
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