Residents protest against setup of refugee center in Finland's Turku

More than 200 people staged a demonstration on Saturday in Turku, southwest Finland, to protest against the setup of an emergency accommodation site for asylum seekers, local media reported.

The residents of Runosmaki, a suburb of Turku with a population of about 10,300, gathered on the playground of the abandoned Runosmaki school, where a reception center for refugees is planned by the city of Turku.

The demonstrators voiced their concern about the security of the district. They warned of the danger of extremists and emphasized the importance of nationalism.

At the same time, a small group of about 30 people held a counter-demonstration to welcome the refugees. They were directed by the police to the other side of the school.

The police said the protest passed off peacefully, even though there were some wrangles between the two sides.

Finnish media said there was an attempt to set it afire last night, and earlier this week a dozen windows of the building were broken.

According to the latest information, about 15,000 asylum seekers have arrived in Finland this year. Finnish Prime Minister Juha Sipila estimated on Thursday the number of arriving asylum seekers could reach up to 50,000 by the end of this year. Endit