Dutch activist who confronted 'crying cop' held

MANILA - Thomas Van Beersum, the Dutch activist who was photographed shouting at a policeman during a protest on the day of the President's State of the Nation Address, has been held at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. Atty. Rey Cortez of the National Union of Peoples' Lawyers (NUPL) said van Beersum was prevented by immigration officials from boarding his 8:40 a.m. flight to Xiamen, China at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1. "He is not under arrest. In fact he did not commit a crime during his stay here. He was about to leave the country, but was prevented from boarding his flight. They said he needs a clearance before he can leave the country," Cortez said in a text message sent to ABS-CBNNews.com. Van Beersum made the headlines after he was seen in a viral photo confronting PO1 Joselito Sevilla, who broke down in tears while trying to disperse the protesters. Van Beersum defended himself from criticisms he received after his confrontation with the crying cop. "I was not taunting or insulting a crying policeman. I was asking him--before he started to cry--why the cops were so violently attacking us," he said. ANC Dateline Philippines, August 6, 2013