Historic Church Destroyed by Arson - Suspect Arrested

Case information

Incident date: Sep 23, 2018
Country: Finland
Place: Joensuu
Categories: Social Hostility / Intolerance
Attack Against: Faith
Perpetrator / Motive Indicators: Private
Hate Crime & Violent Incidents: Arson
Place of Incident: Church
Bias Indicators: Significance of Property/Structure/Location to religious community
Time/Place/Location
Reported to Police: Yes
Response of Local Authorities: Investigated

Only ruins were left of the Kiihtelysvaara Lutheran Church after a 29-year-old set fire to one of Finland's oldest wooden churches in Joensuu. The arson was discovered in the morning of the 23rd of September.

Source: yle