Finland Times

     One group with nearly 100 people protested against the increasing refugees arriving in Finland, while the other group with more than 200 people strongly opposed racism, reported Finnish national broadcaster Yle.

 Police officers separated the two groups to different places to avoid possible conflict. One demonstration named "Rajat kiini (Close the Border)" was held in Koskipuisto, while the other named "Zero Tolerance to Racism" was in Tullintori.

     Police said the protests caused traffic disturbance in the afternoon but the events went peacefully.

     In recent weeks, several hundred refugees have been arriving in Finland everyday via Tornio on the Finnish-Swedish border.

     According to the Finnish Immigration Service, a total of 18,413 asylum seekers have registered in Finland this year, and the number is still rising by about 500 on a daily basis.