Finnish Peace Activists Denied Entry to Portugal

Press release 18.11.2010 at 09.15

Portuguese border guard denied entry of 35 Finnish antimilitarists to Portugal early on Thursday morning. The group was on it's way to NATO summit's non-violent counter event in Lisbon, Portugal. The bus trip is organized Aseistakieltäytyjäliitto (Union of COs, Finland).

Aseistakieltäytyjäliitto believes that the right to demonstrate should be part of every democracy in any situation. "Is NATO so much afraid of non-violent demonstrators, that they can't even be allowed in the same country?" Aseistakieltäytyjäliitto wonders.

The refusing entry of peaceful demonstrators at the border is another example from the unbearable nature of the military alliance. "Finland is taking part in the democracy-mocking and violence generating structures through it's close cooperation with NATO." Aseistakieltäytyjäliitto states. In addition, adapting the Finnish military and other measures to embrace NATO have happened without any real public debate.

The counter summit in Lisbon is organized by Portuguese and other European peace activists. The program of the counter summit includes for example mass demonstration, international seminar and civil disobedience. The counter summit will continue one more day after the NATO summit and the group denied entry is planning to continue to Lisbon on Sunday to participate in the last events.

Press contact:
Union of CO's - +358-(0)40-8362786
http://akl-web.fi/lehdistotiedotteet/SUOMALAISTEN_RAUHANAKTIVISTIEN_Paa…