[ad_1]
About 2,500 protesters demonstrated Sunday in support of human rights, democracy and the environment in Helsinki, a day before US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin hold a summit in the Finnish capital. "Make peace, not war", "Refugees are welcome" and "Make human rights even better!" Some have brandished rainbow flags to protest what they regard as homophobic laws and attitudes in Russia
. . . was challenged by the admiration of the force and an attitude of "every man for himself". And it's what these two men, Trump and Putin, have in common – disregard for democracy, contempt for international agreements, contempt for human rights, "said Heidi Hautala, MEP Greens of Finland.
Mr. Trump was expected to arrive in Helsinki later Sunday in Scotland. Tens of thousands of people protested against his visit to London on Friday and several thousand protested Saturday in Scotland, where he spent much of the weekend playing golf.
million. Putin was to arrive in Helsinki just before the talks Monday
Helsinki – a place that evokes memories of the Cold War between the Soviet Union and the United States – introduced security measures for the summit, including provisional border controls.
a small group of people, including members of the Finnish nationalist party, organized a pro-Trump rally
A total of 16 demonstrations are expected to take place in Helsinki on Sunday and Monday.
The mayor of Helsinki, Jan Vapaavuori He said that he was not worried about demonstrations, saying that Finland had a long history of peaceful protests.
"I would be much more worried if we did not prepare for certain events," he said. State of the EU Finland is considered a neutral place as it is not a member of the US-led NATO military alliance. It shares a long border with Russia, which ruled it for more than a century until the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917, when Finland gained its independence.
million. Trump said he and Putin would discuss, among other things, the reduction of nuclear weapons. Mr Trump also said that he had little expectation for the meeting, which could be overshadowed by accusations that the Russians had interfered in the 2016 US elections. Reuters
Source link
