BI nabs Dutch activist seen yelling at cop in SONA protest
InterAksyon.com
The online news portal of TV5
MANILA, Philippines -- Thomas van Beersum, the Dutch activist who drew attention after news photos captured him shouting at a policeman during a protest against President Benigno Aquino III's state of the nation address, was arrested Tuesday morning by the Bureau of Immigration as he was about to fly out of the country.
This was confirmed by Renato Reyes Jr., secretary general of the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan.
Reyes told InterAksyon.com they had no idea why Beersum was "picked up" at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. Nor were they aware of any charges filed against the Dutch national, who was in the country to attend an international human rights conference.
He added that Beersum has yet to talk to his counsel from the National Union of People's Lawyers.
"We in Bayan strongly denounce the detention of Dutch activist Thomas van Beersum by the Bureau of Immigration," Reyes said in a Facebook post.
"We demand his immediate release as he is already on his way out of the country. We demand that his rights be respected, that he not be paraded like a criminal and that he is allowed to confer with his lawyers from NUPL led by Atty. Rey Cortez and the different human rights groups," Reyes added.
The photo of Van Beersum at the SONA protest drew widespread criticism, including calls for his deportation, from netizens, but also saw others defending his involvement in local issues.