International anti-NATO peace activists in Lisbon denounce the blocking of their european comrades at the border of the Portuguese territory

The coalition of nonviolent activist based in Lisbon denounce the blocking of their European comrades at the border of the Portugese territory during these last days.

According to the Portuguese Foreigners and Borders Service, more than 168 froreign peace activists from France, Sweden, Finland and Spain are at this moment forbidden to enter Portugese territory. They are all part of nonviolent movements like "Union of Conscientious Objectors (Finland)", "Non au M51 (France)", CIRCA (Clown Army – France), Alternativa Antimilitarista-MOC (Spain) and wanted to join the nonviolent actions against the NATO summit in Lisbon.

These nonviolent activists wanted to join different event organised during the two days of the NATO summit, including demonstrations, nonviolent direct actions of civil disobedience, and the counter-summit.

We strongly condemn the temporary suspension of the Schengen agreement, which prevents peace activists from moving freely within Europe. This is aimed at preventing people from making use of their right to freedom of expression and assembly to express their opposition to the murderous policy of NATO.

Freedom of assembly is a basic right, fundamental to all democratic countries. It is useful to remember that NATO claims that bringing democracy is the main reason for its presence in Afghanistan.

Refusing entry to peaceful demonstrators proves one more time the real face of NATO: achieving its war policy by preventing public debates – in fact the opposite of democracy.

We heard from the blocked activists that their determination to denounce NATO policy remains unchanged. Anyway, it also won’t diminish the determinations of the activists who succeeded to cross the border to stop the preparation of war plans of NATO in the coming days.

Press contacts:
Toni -Contra a Guerra Age (portuguese) - +351 914 834 956
Andreas Speck – WRI - (english – german) - +351 968504757
Benoit Calvi – Bombspotting – (french – english) - +351 968564342
An Maeyens – Bombspotting - (dutch - english – spanish) - +32 489 577 851