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Police estimate around 250 people showed up to a far-right demonstration organised by the white supremacist group Soldiers of Odin in Helsinki on Finnish Independence Day, December 6, 2019. A group of far-right protesters carried a banner reading “Blood and Honour”, an English translation of German National Socialist political slogan that was used by the Hitler Youth, among others. Estimated 2,700 people took part in the “Helsinki without Nazis” counter-demonstration organised at the same time.
Police detains Extinction Rebellion activist and astrophysicist Till Sawala in Helsinki, Finland on Finnish Independence Day, December 6, 2019. Academy Research Fellow Till Sawala and theoretical physicist Syksy Räsänen got detained by the police after they interrupted the procession of a far-right demonstration organised by the white supremacist group Soldiers of Odin. According to Sawala nazism and fascism are directly opposed to everything the Extinction Rebellion movement stands for and tries to protect. “It denies the most basic right to live of other human beings.” Extinction Rebellion is a global environmental movement. They aim to compel government action to pursue sustainability goals by using nonviolent civil disobedience.
Finnish sociologist and Left Alliance MP Anna Kontula in the Parliament House on October 22, 2019. Kontula caused controversy in October by stating that she is the only communist – at least the only one willing to openly admit it – in the Finnish Parliament. On the background two sculptures, Intellectual Work and Future, from Wäinö Aaltonen’s series Work and future designed for the Parliament chamber.
Actor Elisa Piispanen celebrates 50 years of teaching in theatre at the University of Tampere on February 12, 2017.
Suviseurat Summer Services in Äänekoski on June 30, 2018. Suviseurat is the annual meeting of the Finnish Lutheran movement known as Conservative Laestadians and the largest religious gathering in the Nordic countries. Summer services are attended by tens of thousands of visitors.
Triple jumper Kristiina Mäkelä set a new personal best of 14.31 in the triple jump at the Finnish Championships in Athletics in Jyväskylä on July 21, 2018.
Asylum seekers protesting against Finland's tightened immigration and asylum policies behind a banner featuring the face of PM Juha Sipilä in front of the Kiasma Contemporary Art Museum in Helsinki on February 14, 2017. Sipilä's government toughened the rules for granting asylum and humanitarian protection after more than 30 000 people applied for asylum in Finland in 2015.
11th President of Finland Tarja Halonen participated in a panel discussion on peace work at the Vantaa Art Museum on May 3, 2018.
Joni Lähdesmäki participates for the first time in the Nude Run of Finland (Nakukymppi) in Padasjoki on June 14, 2019. Lähdesmäki, who has taken part in one naturist event previously, admits he felt a bit nervous before the event, but already much more confident in himself. The nude run draws between 100 and 150 participants and has been held in Padasjoki annually since 2003.
