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Border checks for people "suspected of intending to carry out disturbances"

01 December 2002

Between 6-14 December the Danish police are to carry out checks:
"to prevent entry by foreigners who are suspected of intending to carry out disturbances during the meeting in Copenhagen. Decisions to refuse entry will be made individually for each person entering and be based on tangible reasons."

The phrase "suspected of intending" is highly dubious legally unless based on evidence that the people concerned have previously been convicted of a serious public order offences (ie: not including non-violent protest such as sitting in the road).

"6. December 2002 - 11:00 - Press release concerning border control from Copenhagen police force:

Press release concerning border control

Special border control will be carried out in connection with the European Council Meeting in Copenhagen on 12-13 December 2002.

The decision has been made by the Integration Ministry on the basis of recommendations from the Ministry of Justice, the National Police, and the Copenhagen Police.

The purpose of the border control is to prevent entry by foreigners who are suspected of intending to carry out disturbances during the meeting in Copenhagen. Decisions to refuse entry will be made individually for each person entering and be based on tangible reasons. It is the opinion of the police that the border control will contribute to the announced demonstrations being carried out peacefully.

Entry control will thus take place during the period 06 December – 14 December 2002 – not only at the external Schengen borders – but also at the inner Schengen borders, that is at the South Jutland border, at the bridge from Sweden, and at ferry and flight connections arriving from other Schengen countries.

No regular border control will be carried out at the inner borders. The control will be carried out as a targeted control with the purpose to secure, to the extent possible, that the European Council Meeting is held without disturbances. It will be attempted that the control is carried out in such a way that the ordinary border traffic will be not be affected. It cannot be excluded, however, that the border control can lead to slight delays for travellers, but the police will strive to secure an expeditious border traffic.

The border control will not entail any changes for the travellers. Foreigners travelling to Denmark are as always to be in possession of valid travel documents. This does not apply, however, for nationals from the Scandinavian countries travelling to Denmark directly from another Nordic country. These nationals can still travel to Denmark without being in possession of travel documents.