2023: Increasing Vandalism of Finnish Cemeteries

Case information
Incident date
Country
Finland
Categories
  • Social Hostility / Intolerance
Attack Against
  • Faith
Perpetrator / Motive Indicators
  • Private
Hate Crime & Violent Incidents
  • Theft
  • Vandalism (all)
  • Vandalism of Cemetery
Place of Incident
  • Cemetery
Bias Indicators
  • Lack of Other Motive
  • Significance of Property/Structure/Location to religious community
Reported to Police
  • Unknown
Response of Local Authorities
  • Unknown
Image credit: freepik

In many cities in Finland, there were acts of vandalism, thefts and damages at local cemeteries.

March- Kivikko - vandalism at the cemetery of Soviet soldiers in Helsinki Kivikko, A criminal complaint has been filed.

May- Joutsen - Vandalism and theft at Joutsen Cemetery has been going on for a number of years - theft of monuments and flowers from graves, lanterns and angels, ripping out planting.

September - Mikkeli- The old cemetery in Mikkeli has been vandalised- a genital mutilation and a swastika have been sprayed on the bark of a 100-year-old fir tree, and an ancient gravestone next to the tree has been smashed.

October - Vantaa- Heroes' graves near the church of St. Laurin in Vantaa at the Hietaniemi heroes' cemetery vandalised.