NATO’s Biggest Exercise Since Cold War Draws Protests

Oslo: Rallies were held in Norway on Saturday to protest against NATO’s biggest military exercise since the end of the Cold War in the Nordic country. In Norway’s capital city Oslo, about 1,000 protesters gathered at the Eidsvoll Square in the city centre to voice their opposition to the ongoing Trident Juncture 2018 exercise, which involves around 50,000 participants from all 29 NATO member nations and its partners Sweden and Finland.

Most of the demonstrators were from a group called “Oslo for Action against NATO,” which comprises 27 affiliated organisations, including some left-wing political parties and the Oslo chapter of Norway’s largest trade union confederation LO. “The exercise is actually not good for the security of the Norwegian people,” Geir Hem, organiser of the event, told Xinhua. “It’s part of the militarization and escalating the danger of war,” Hem said. “It’s kind of preparing Norway to be a battlefield and not to defend the people in Norway.” Anti-NATO protests were also organised on Saturday in Bergen, Norway’s second largest city, and the southern city of Kristiansand. A similar demonstration was held last week in Trondheim in central Norway. (IANS)