Vandals of Tampere’s Mannerheim Statue Reveal Their Ignorance

In Tampere, Finland, a statue of Marshal Carl Gustaf Mannerheim—who led the White forces in the Finnish Civil War of 1918 and served as Commander-in-Chief of the Finnish Army during World War II—was erected in 1956. The statue was created by Evert Porila before the Winter War and placed at a location from which Mannerheim himself observed the decisive battles of the Red uprising in 1918. The statue and its surroundings are impressive, and the historical insight behind its placement is excellent. I recommend visiting it to everyone traveling in Finland, as well as to our own citizens.

Iltalehti reported that this statue had—apparently two nights ago—been vandalized with red paint. Writings had been scrawled on the base and side of the statue, which shows poor judgment ability.

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For these vandals, it would be instructive to watch the film “The Eternal Road” (Ikitie), available on the Finnish Broadcasting Company’s Areena service. The film, directed by Antti-Jussi Annala and based on a novel by Antti Tuuri, might help them understand the kind of fate from which the victory of Mannerheim’s White Army spared their grandparents and their ancestors. A “Red Finland” would most likely have been annexed to the Soviet Union, much like Ukraine, which went on to suffer the horrors of the Holodomor.

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Still, every cloud has a silver lining. The Red uprising led to the development of a very strong executive branch within Finland’s democracy—something highly exceptional compared to other European states that gained independence after World War I.

Thanks to its strong executive power, Finland remained a democracy while many other post–World War I democracies—where parliamentary power was emphasized—drifted into right-wing dictatorships. Things were different here under the North Star: communists were banned, and the far-right Lapua Movement remained a historical curiosity.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Politics in Brigitte Bardot’s Obituary on Finland’s Public Broadcaster Yle
Demonstration Demonstrated the Selfishness of the Demonstrators
History of Finland XII: Bloody civil war

Most Finnish Journalism Students Lean Toward the Ultra-Liberal Far Left

Finnish journalist Sanna Ukkola published on social media results from the not-yet officially released Nordic Journalism Students 2025 survey. According to it, among “Finnish journalism students” studying at university, 78 percent vote for left-wing parties (Left Alliance 44%, Greens 20%, Social Democrats 14%).

If—and assuming—the figures reflect reality, the outlook for the future of Finnish journalism is bleak. To understand this, one must note that 64 percent of future journalists support—not just the left in general, but an ultra-liberal far-left in terms of values, namely the Left Alliance and the Greens.

* * *

Of course, it has already been known that the ideological outlook of Finnish journalism students leans politically to the left. However, I had not previously understood the students’ attraction to outright far-left ideology, which has left a rather dark footprint in both Finnish and global history.

It may, of course, be that not all journalism students—and even those who have already graduated—are familiar with the roots of the ideology they support, or they imagine that today’s green-left somehow differs from its historical predecessors. And thus they act more like—borrowing a term attributed to Lenin—“useful idiots,” who believe they are acting morally right, while in reality they are fighting for an Orwellian society.

This is also reflected in the fact that many journalists, instead of striving for impartial journalism, want to steer people’s opinions and change the world in the direction they prefer. For some, the desire to influence public opinion has even been a central reason for becoming a journalist.

This situation is, of course, unfortunate for these students, for the people who read and listen to the results of their work, and for the future of Finnish society. This remains the case despite the fact that, with age, some journalists come to realize they had supported totalitarian ideas and move away from the far-left camp. But unfortunately, only some do.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
When Free Speech Is Prosecuted: Päivi Räsänen’s Case Explained for Americans
Is Finnish Broadcasting Company Yle Using Taxpayer Money to Mislead?
Terrorism Landscape in the EU Contradicts the Narrative Presented by EU Politicians and Media

Germany Then and Now Resemble Each Other

In the early years of the Weimar Republic, during the 1920s and the early 1930s in Germany, power was held by the Social Democrats. Nevertheless, the far-left caused unrest and incited workers to go on strikes. Eventually, they even attempted a violent revolution, inspired by Vladimir Lenin.

As a result of all this, a backlash arose among the German populace, which was temporarily interrupted when moderate parties formed governments in the mid-1920s. However, the far-left increased its popularity towards the end of the decade, as the runaway inflation caused by war reparations made life increasingly difficult for the people.

For the same reasons and due to the unrest caused by the far-left, national socialism—or the Nazi Party—also gained traction, ultimately taking power in January 1933. This led the country, after various developments, into two interlinked catastrophes: the Second World War and the Holocaust.

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This came to my mind when I read that in Germany, thousands of leftist protesters gathered on Saturday in front of the party congress of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. As a result, the start of the congress was delayed by two hours because the protesters blocked party members from entering the venue.

A large police presence was also on-site, dispersing a sit-in protest that had partially blocked an intersection. They also intervened to stop acts of violence, as some protesters launched fireworks at the police.

It would be worth asking these protesters whether they have any understanding of what happened in Germany between the world wars, and whether they realize that their current actions bear an unsettling resemblance to the behavior of the German left during the Weimar Republic era, which, as a backlash, resulted in the rise of the Nazi regime.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Strengthening Christmas Market Security: Lessons from Magdeburg
The Fall of Germany’s Government Could Open the EU’s Path to a Better Future
Will immigration give rise to a National Socialist party in Finland

Terrorism Landscape in the EU Contradicts the Narrative Presented by EU Politicians and Media

Europol published a report on major developments and trends in the terrorism landscape in the EU in 2023, based on data provided by Member States. According to the report, a total of 120 terrorist attacks (98 completed, 9 failed, and 13 foiled) were carried out in 7 EU Member States. This represents a clear increase compared to previous years.

The highest number of terrorist attacks were perpetrated by separatist terrorists—a total of 70—followed by left-wing and anarchist actors, who were responsible for 32 attacks, of which 23 were completed.

Jihadists carried out 14 terror attacks, five of which were completed. Additionally, Europol reported two right-wing terrorist attacks. Jihadist terrorist attacks were the most lethal, resulting in six deaths and twelve injuries.

A total of 426 individuals were arrested for terrorist offenses, 334 of whom were related to jihadist terrorism. Concluded court proceedings in 14 EU Member States resulted in 290 convictions and 68 acquittals for terrorist offenses.

The report is very interesting, considering that European politicians and media seem to be most worried about right-wing terrorists while almost neglecting assaults carried out by far-left activists. The first question that arises is: why don’t they see the danger posed by the aggressive left? Or, if they do, why don’t they talk about it?

The second question relates to jihadist terrorism, which clearly stems from the liberal immigration policies implemented over the past decades. Why do most politicians and journalists still fail to see where the continuation of these policies might lead? And why do they vilify those who have warned about this?

Finally, I would like to point out that most separatists in Europe are more left-leaning than neutral or aligned with the political right. This leads to the conclusion that the share of left-wing terrorism would be even more significant if separatists were grouped together with left-wing and anarchist actors.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
What will Happen Tomorrow, on the Anniversary of the Attack by the Terrorists on October 7th Last Year?
Three Islamists Arrested in Finland on Suspicion of Belonging to a Terrorist Group
The Stabber Killed Three People in an Extremely Multicultural City

Over a Hundred Child Abusers Caught, and the Far-Left's Paavo Arhinmäki Gains Followers in Finland

The internet-related sexual crimes investigation unit operating at the police station in Turku, Finland, has uncovered, during its operation, over one hundred individuals suspected of luring one or more children on social media into sexual activities and of paying for sexual services from minors during the years 2021–2022.

The majority of the uncovered crimes are sexual offenses, including the sexual abuse of children and sexual acts against children, both in their basic and aggravated forms. These acts have occurred both on social media and in the real world. In addition to sexual offenses, cases of domestic violence, drug crimes, and firearms offenses have also come to light.

Some of the suspects have prior sexual offense records, but the majority either have no criminal history or no history of sexual offenses. The suspects come from diverse backgrounds and represent all social classes.

Furthermore, police searches have revealed approximately 300 new suspected crimes that were previously unknown to law enforcement. The investigation of these offenses is ongoing at various police departments, and the number is expected to rise further.

It remains to be seen how extensive this case will ultimately become. However, it is already clear that Finland, once considered a safe haven, is no longer as secure, as the threat posed by mentally disturbed pedophiles has become an increasingly significant risk, even for children.

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Of course, children themselves are also capable of doing foolish things. In the small Finnish town of Pargas, three so-called graffiti and tag painters have been caught. They are all under 15 years of age.

Among their tags was the acronym FTP, meaning "Fuck the Police." This hardly demonstrates a great deal of respect for societal order and safety on the part of the perpetrators.

The police have documented a total of 33 vandalized targets. These include the walls, doors, windows, and fences of both public and private buildings, defaced with spray paint and markers. As a result, the individuals, businesses, and the town of Pargas that suffered damages from the teens' vandalism can claim compensation for their losses from the young painters. Time will tell whether this teaches them anything.

However, less attention has been paid to the fact that Helsinki's far-left Deputy Mayor, then 47-year-old Paavo Arhinmäki, was caught last year engaging in a similar act of vandalism to that of the teens now held accountable. Nor has it been widely discussed whether Arhinmäki served as a kind of role model for them or if the Deputy Mayor is quite pleased to see that his senseless behavior has gained followers.

All of this is particularly interesting because the Left Alliance has nominated Paavo Arhinmäki as their candidate for the Helsinki mayoral race. In other words, they consider him capable of leading Finland’s largest city. 

But could this be a misjudgment? And if so, what does that say about the Left Alliance itself?

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
A Homosexual Rape Underscores the Need for Change in Immigration Policy
The UK Prime Minister Took a One-Sided Stance on the Country's Protests
Competence of the political left

Eurovision Song Contest Funding Faces Pushback Due to Woke Ideology

Some Swiss people have grown tired of the Eurovision Song Contest, which they believe has become an event that mocks Christian values, promotes anti-Semitism, and advocates for the interests of sexual minorities. As a result, in the canton of Basel-Stadt, which hosted last year’s winning country, a referendum will be held to decide whether the canton should contribute to financing the event.

The competition is planned to take place in the same canton, which would also be expected to participate in its funding, even though the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) bears the primary responsibility. If the people of Basel vote to withdraw financial support, the ten-day competition will be scaled down to a single-day event.

This case might not seem particularly significant, but it highlights how far-left ideologies that have spread globally from the United States in recent years are beginning to irritate ordinary people, who often feel targeted by them. The same phenomenon is evident in politics, where politically conservative parties are currently enjoying success.

It remains to be seen whether the Basel referendum will reinforce this trend. The issue is somewhat ambiguous, as the Eurovision Song Contest is a long-standing tradition, but its content has increasingly embraced a "woke" spirit. Thus, there are both conservative and value-liberal reasons to support or oppose it.

As for me, I haven’t followed the Eurovision Song Contest in a long time and won’t be doing so this year either—regardless of what the people of Basel decide. That said, I’ll conclude by linking the only Finnish entry to ever win the competition.

Aiempia ajatuksia samasta aihepiiristä:
The Lenin Museum Will No Longer Serve as a Reminder of the Dangers of Political Correctness
During the Eurovision song spectacle, the incompetence of EU officials was revealed
A white family does not represent real Londoners

Defending National Security: Finland's Response to Hybrid Warfare

Yesterday was an important day for Finland and all of Europe, as the parliament approved the so-called return law with a vote of 167-31. In this way, our country has shown our hybrid war-fighting neighbor that Finland will not submit to its victimization.

With the new return law, asylum seekers attempting to enter Finland can be prevented from entering the country, submitting asylum applications, or removed from outside the borders when they are being used as tools of hybrid warfare. Thus, the law is not about violating human rights but about a means to prevent the misuse of the asylum system when its purpose is to destabilize or blackmail the security of Finland and/or Europe.

Unfortunately, 31 members of parliament decided to express with their voting behavior that promoting the hybrid activities of our eastern neighbor is more important to them than the safety of their own people. Therefore, I considered it appropriate to make a list of them so that the irresponsible actions of these politicians would remain in the memory of social media for a long time to come.

The members of parliament who voted against the return law are Li Andersson (Left Alliance), Eva Biaudet (Swedish People's Party), Fatim Diarra (Greens), Tuuna Elo (Greens), Bella Forsgrén (Greens), Timo Furuholm (Left Alliance), Elisa Gebhard (Social Democrats), Pekka Haavisto (Greens), Timo Harakka (Social Democrats), Atte Harjanne (Greens), Hanna Holopainen (Greens), Veronica Honkasalo (Left Alliance), Inka Hopsu (Greens), Saara Hyrkkö (Greens), Krista Kiuru (Social Democrats), Mai Kivelä (Left Alliance), Anna Kontula (Left Alliance), Minja Koskela (Left Alliance), Johan Kvarnström (Social Democrats), Merja Kyllönen (Left Alliance), Laura Meriluoto (Left Alliance), Krista Mikkonen (Greens), Matias Mäkynen (Social Democrats), Maria Ohisalo (Greens), Aino-Kaisa Pekonen (Left Alliance), Jenni Pitko (Greens), Nasima Razmyar (Social Democrats), Jussi Saramo (Left Alliance), Hanna Sarkkinen (Left Alliance), Oras Tynkkynen (Greens), and Sofia Virta (Greens).

Of the people on the list, 23 or 74 percent are women, and the remaining 26 percent are men. In other words, female members of parliament are significantly more inclined than their male colleagues to act as Vladimir Putin's helpers or at least his useful idiots.

Among them, Eva Biaudet belongs to a government party, so there will likely be consequences for her voting behavior. Otherwise, those who have chosen to act as Russia's stooges represented the extreme or slightly more moderate left.

It was also significant that all three members of parliament with a developing country background - Diarra, Forsgrén, and Razmyar - supported Putin. This suggests that Finland's security is not important to them, or they are unable to understand the threat posed by Russia. This is, of course, unfortunate, because one would especially expect them to appreciate the security of their current home country.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Finland and Western Europe: Effectively at War
Putin's useful idiots in Finland
Change of immigration policy and development cooperation

Putin's useful idiots in Finland

The flow of asylum seekers from developing countries organized by the Russians to their western border has prompted the Finnish government to prepare an emergency law proposal, which would allow the entry of newcomers to Finland to be blocked. The primary purpose of this law is not about trampling on the rights of people fleeing distress and persecution but about resisting the aggression related to Russia's hybrid warfare.

This has been well understood within Finnish parties belonging to the political right and center. The leadership of the Social Democratic Party of Finland also supports the emergency law, but the left wing of the party, like the extreme left and the Greens, is ready to oppose the law, that conflicts with international human rights agreements.

Since it is an emergency law, it requires a five-sixths majority in parliament to come into effect. And it is precisely this that the representatives of the left wing of the Social Democrats intend to block.

In doing so, they act as useful idiots for President Vladimir Putin, who is waging war in Ukraine and threatening its other neighbors. They open a channel for him to negatively influence Finnish society through hybrid warfare.

This is a significant change in Finnish politics, as the Social Democrats have understood the country's security needs since the Winter War of 1939-1940. But now it seems that this long tradition is about to be broken.

It remains to be seen what impact this will have on the Social Democratic Party. Will a rift develop between the party's realpolitik majority and the Putinist left-wing minority, ultimately leading to the division of the entire party?

And if this happens, will a new party that has grown from the minority gain popular support? And if not, will the politicians belonging to it perhaps join the Left Alliance or the Greens to promote Putin's freedom of action in Finland?

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Brianna Wu's advice and the reality of Finnish politics
Duck emphasizing the urgency of the new border law
Change of immigration policy and development cooperation

The European Parliament elections were a celebration for the far-left in Finland

The result of yesterday's European Parliament elections in Finland certainly surprised everyone following politics. It also surprised me, so a few words about it.

The big winner of the elections was the far-left formed by the Left Alliance and the Greens, which seemed to get the largest share of votes in all elections during Finland's independence. As much as 28.6 percent of the voters gave their vote to them.

This means that the Finnish European Parliament group will henceforth provide even more support for centralization, the migration of people from developing countries, wokeness, and efforts like Euro-taxes. At the same time, the result also means that the Finnish far-left knew how to take advantage of the low voter turnout.

This, however, was not understood by the supporters of the Finns Party. They decided to stay at home, perhaps cursing the entire European Union in their minds or protesting minor issues in the Finnish government's policy, where the party participates.

And they fulfilled my warning from a few days ago that the green-left would get one more representative in the European Parliament if people supporting other political directions did not go to the polls. Thus, the voting behavior of Finnish national conservatives was, to put it nicely, foolish.

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If this kind of thinking had prevailed in all EU countries, the people from Africa and the Middle East seeking to come to Europe for welfare reasons would have thanked and set off in even larger numbers. Similarly, the preservation of raw materials for the Finnish forest industry would have become a real threat, and only imagination would have been the limit to what could be achieved on the wokeness front.

The silver lining was that the national conservatives in other countries were not as foolish as the Finns, but instead achieved an electoral victory while the entire left lost support. Of course, this victory would have been greater if Finnish voters had decided to support the Finns Party candidates instead of the far-left.

With the EPP group, including the Finnish National Coalition Party, achieving an electoral victory at the Union level, we can breathe a sigh of relief and hope to see healthier politics in the EU over the next five years than in the past term. Additionally, we hope that the most idiotic plans of the previous European Parliament will not be implemented.

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In addition to EU politics, the election results will also impact Finland's domestic politics. Within the government, the National Coalition Party's victory in the European elections and the Finns Party's crushing defeat will increase the influence of the Prime Minister's National Coalition Party and decrease the influence of the Finance Minister's Finns Party. Thus, the issues important to the National Coalition Party will progress better than the wishes of the Finns Party.

This will be particularly evident in Finnish immigration and asylum policies, where the lines of the National Coalition Party and the Finns Party differ. My guess is that it will be even more challenging to bring related government program policies to the Parliament and thus into law during the current parliamentary term.

The danger, therefore, is that Finnish politics will see a repeat of the phenomenon witnessed during Juha Sipilä's (Centre Party) government from 2015 to 2019. Its immigration policy program was sensible, but ultimately it was never implemented. And to top it all off, a tremendous number of people from developing countries rushed into the country without the government taking any measures to prevent it.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Mass immigration is the greatest concern for EU youth
During the Eurovision song spectacle, the incompetence of EU officials was revealed
The EU's 7.4 billion euro aid package is intellectual dishonesty

Demonstrations cause trouble in Helsinki and Sweden

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.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
The activists sought excitement and a boost to their self-esteem in the Stockholm Diamond League
The change in the demographic structure of Helsinki
International Master´s degree is an opportunity to be used