After four days of traffic-jamming protests, the police decided to end it all.
HELSINKI—On Sunday, it was finally over.
Since Thursday, the climate activists of the Elokapina movement have been blocking traffic in various parts of Helsinki.
They began their protest on Mannerheimintie, which is one of the busiest roads, and because of the patience of the police were able to set up tents and camp on the road through the night.
On Friday evening, they folded their tents and found a new haven at the cobblestones of Unioninkatu, not too far from university and government buildings and the Helsinki Cathedral. There they sang, and those who had the energy to dance in the scorching sunlight did so.
During the weekend, the rescue department notified the police that emergency vehicles often drive through the street now blocked by tents and dancing rebels.
The police began another attempt to negotiate with the protesters. The negotiations failed, the activists refused to move. Instead, some of them returned to Mannerheimintie and sat on the road; legs crossed like before, not willing to move a muscle.
After six o’clock on Sunday evening, the police caught 104 protesters from Mannerheimintie. A couple of hours later they had emptied the road and the traffic was running again.
The protest at Unioninkatu was still continuing after 22:00 in the evening. The police isolated the street and caught 12 people.
In total, the police caught 117 protesters from the Elokapina protest on Sunday.
Some of the apprehended were minors, so the police let them go on Sunday evening.
All activists caught by the police are subject to fines.
