ARRESTED: A person laid on the ground and arrested by the police during the counter-demonstration against SIAN’s marking in Drammen on Saturday. Photo: HELGE MIKALSEN
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On Saturday, several counter-protesters showed up in Drammen when SIAN held appeals. Several minors were picked up by the police.
Just updated
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In a press release on Saturday afternoon, the police state that five people were brought in when they demonstrated against Stop the Islamization of Norway (SIAN), which held a celebration at Strømsø square.
Four of these were minors – and were left to guardians. Another ten people were expelled from Drammen in connection with the demonstration.
– It is worrying that so many minors and young people participated in the demonstration in Drammen on Saturday morning, says police station chief Øyvind Aas in Drammen.
Think parents would be shocked
SIAN’s marking was over around 2.45pm.
But it was the counter-demonstration that the police broke up.
Because when the counter-demonstration against Sian took over, the police intervened. The atmosphere on Strømsø square developed to be very amp, and among other things, stones were thrown at the police, says Aas to VG.
Police say they have a “very high” threshold for canceling a demonstration.
Aas further says that they chose to do so, because it was “necessary to ensure the safety of those involved and everyone nearby”.
—-POLICE MEETING: Large police forces had met during the demonstration of SIAN and the counter-demonstration against them. Photo: HELGE MIKALSEN
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– I think many parents would have been shocked by the aggression that was expressed among many of those present, and how high the temperature was on Strømsø square. In addition, we are in the middle of a demanding infection situation in Drammen.
– But no one from the police is injured, the police station chief states.
– Are there others who are injured?
– We know that someone has been trampled on and kicked, but we do not have a 100 percent overview of how many, or what injuries they may have. The situation is still unclear, and the goal is to create a safe city as quickly as possible, says Aas.
—-REBELLION POLICE: The police showed up during the SIAN marking and counter-demonstration in Drammen on Saturday. Photo: HELGE MIKALSEN
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VG’s photographer on site stated at 15.35 that it is calm on the site after there was something amp for a while. He could still observe the police helicopter hanging in the air over the city.
The police first intervened because there was unrest along the fences and a lot of egg-laying against the SIAN event.
The operations manager at the police in the South-East comments to NTB that several kilos of eggs have been thrown at the legal demonstration.
Police: Stones were thrown
SIAN had previously applied for, and received approval, to hold a demonstration in the square in Drammen. Many curious and others who wanted to show their opposition to Sian, had turned up.
– If they disturb or prevent people from expressing their opinions, the police must intervene, says operations manager André Kråkenes to NTB.
The police state that after the unrest, they “expect” to create more cases.
According to police, no one was able to get past their barricades, but the demonstration ended with violent acts.
Eggs, bottles and stones were thrown at the blocked area. Among other things, the police had to use gas to prevent people from penetrating the roadblocks, the press release states.
Prior to the marking, the police were in dialogue with several groups in Drammen, they write in the press release.
– We experience that the dialogue we had in advance was good, and then it is a pity that individuals and individual groups destroy, says Aas.
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