arch/ive/ief (2000 - 2005)
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FINNISH DEMO AGAINST NEOLIBERALISM DURING NICE 2000 by Voitto G Monday December 11, 2000 at 06:56 PM |
| unda@artic.net |
On the 6th of December, Finnish independence day, a group of Finnish "White Overalls" participated a demonstration for civil rights and against neoliberalism in Helsinki. The demonstration was organised in conjunction with the mobilisation of Nice (Nizza).
On the same day, Finnish political and economical Elite gathered to Presidential Palace for their nationalist, elitist and militarist independence day celebrations - the next day, the delegates of Finnish government were off to Nice, to sign the neoliberal "Charter of Fundamental Rights".
A thousand citizens outside the Presidential Palace demanded for universal citizens' income, right to housing and public services for all, and the neoliberal "Charter of fundamental rights" to be rejected. The group of White Overalls used non-violent disobedience to break through the lines of Police's riot squad, to take their message inside the Palace. Protected with inner tubes, helmets and paddings, the White Overalls forced the Police move back for several times.
The demonstration was loaded with energy and it caused a strong distortion into the symbolic idyl of The Rich and The Powerful. The demonstration made it to all the biggest national newspapers and commercial TV-channels. This was the first time when "White Overall -style" civil disobedience was performed in Finland. The White Overalls from Italy, Finland, Spain and Greece gained lots of coverage in Prague during the S26 demonstration.
