Criticism from the Left Brought a Small Association’s Independence Day March into the Spotlight

Finland’s green-left politicians have harshly criticized the participation of two Members of Parliament from the government’s Finns Party — Teemu Keskisarja and Sheikki Laakso — in the annual 612 event held on Finland’s Independence Day (December 6). As a result, both MPs will forgo attending the Independence Day reception hosted by the President of the Republic, Alexander Stubb.

Ville Niinistö, a Member of the European Parliament from the Green Party, which is firmly positioned on the political left, commented on X (formerly Twitter) that MPs from governing parties form part of the government’s parliamentary majority. According to Niinistö, "if the government allows its MPs to openly support a far-right event that demeans the Republic’s independence and democracy, it constitutes an international-level scandal". He also called on Prime Minister Petteri "Orpo to take action".

Similarly, Minja Koskela, chairperson of the Left Alliance, wrote on X that she is curious to know what Prime Minister Orpo thinks about the actions of representatives from his coalition partner, especially after all the government’s proclamations against racism. She stated that "when two MPs from the Finns Party choose a far-right-linked march over the liberal President’s reception, it is a serious matter".

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The 612 event has been organized annually since 2014. Initially, it attracted only a few hundred participants, but during the large wave of immigration, attendance surged to thousands before later declining back to a few hundred.

Among the organizers were, at least initially, several actors perceived as far-right. Conversely, far-left groups have, at times, sought to disrupt the event, even resorting to violence.

According to the event’s website, its "sole purpose is to celebrate Finland’s independence and honor the sacrifices made by previous generations. Participants are encouraged to respect the non-political nature of the event by leaving all political and other symbols at home. The organizers emphasize that societal inequality and political polarization have already driven a wedge between Finns. In uncertain times, the greatest strength of a small nation is its unity."

Furthermore, the event is organized by the 612.fi association, and participation is open to all who wish to celebrate Finland’s independence and honor the efforts and sacrifices of past generations. The only permitted emblem, flag, or slogan at the event is the official Finnish flag.

It remains to be seen whether the comments from the green-left bloc will have any impact on the government’s actions. However, one thing is already clear: as a result of these remarks, the 612.fi association and its march have received more publicity than they could have ever hoped to achieve otherwise.

Finally, it is worth noting that Niinistö’s and Koskela’s comments do not appear to align particularly well with the spirit of freedom of speech or freedom of assembly enshrined in Finnish law. However, this is not particularly surprising coming from the political left.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
The Green Movement is Withering – And That’s Not a Bad Thing
Demonstrations cause trouble in Helsinki and Sweden
Independence day of Finland now and 83 years ago