The University of Helsinki is by far the largest contributor to higher education and research in Finland, enjoying the trust of the entire nation and receiving financial support through tax revenues. In this role, it is institutionally politically neutral, and, for example, protests within its premises are prohibited.
However, this prohibition has recently been violated. A few months ago, a group of students protested against decisions made by the Finnish government, and just a few days ago, a demonstration against Israel was held at the university.
These predominantly politically left-wing orchestrated protests have not been strongly intervened against but have been allowed to take place. Thus, a kind of precedent has been established, which future protesters may also refer to.
It is possible that in the future, there may be different types of demonstrations on the university premises, including those that provoke reactions. In Finland, this practically means far-left counter-protests against socially conservative demonstrators, which often involve violent elements.
Therefore, it would be important for the University of Helsinki to decisively state that it will not allow any political demonstrations on its premises in the future. If such events occur, the university should demand that law enforcement immediately stop the gathering.
By saying this, I do not mean to undermine the importance of people's right to organize protests as a crucial aspect of a democratic society. On the contrary, when organizing such events, respect for the wishes of venue owners and property managers should be observed by ensuring that protests take place in open spaces.
Finally, it is worth noting that Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden initially announced a ban on political demonstrations in all its premises and campuses but later reversed its decision. The fears caused by protesters targeting Jewish individuals were behind the original decision, which the university should, of course, never condone.
It remains to be seen how the situation will unfold at Chalmers University. Will all segments of the population feel safe in the future, or will the situation become untenable again?
It is hoped that Finland and its universities will never find themselves in a situation similar to Sweden's, and that students and all people can live their lives without fear of danger due to their opinions or religious-ethnic backgrounds.
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