Amnesty Denmark regrets translating advice to US protesters

Amnesty Denmark regrets translating advice to US protesters | iNFOnews.ca
People stage a demonstration marking the 10th anniversary of an eviction that sparked three days of massive riots, in Copenhagen on Wednesday March 1, 2017. Police in Copenhagen say four of the at least nine people arrested overnight will be indicted of violence against officers in connection with the demonstration A handful of the 1,000 participants fired slingshots and threw rocks, fireworks and bottles at helmeted riot police and dozens of shop and bank windows were smashed. (Thomas Borberg/POLFOTO via AP)

COPENHAGEN – The head of the Danish chapter of Amnesty International says it was “a terrible mistake” to print a guide in its magazine on how to tackle tear gas, one’s basic rights when arrested and how to dress for protests and confrontation with police.

Secretary General Trine Christensen said Friday the article was translated from a story in Amnesty’s U.S. magazine counselling demonstrators protesting an oil pipeline in North Dakota.

“We never incite to confrontation with the police,” Christensen said.

The Feb. 7 issue of the Danish chapter’s quarterly magazine advised people attending protests to, among other things, “wear gas masks.”

“We are sorry that the text had not been adapted to fit a Danish context,” Christensen told The Associated Press “We should have mentioned that there is a ban in Denmark against being masked at demonstrations.”

The article caused harsh criticism among Danish lawmakers this week, after a night of rioting in Copenhagen.

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