Probe into racist tweet by pro-Perussuomalaiset begins

Police have started a preliminary investigation into a racist tweet posted by the populist Perussuomalaiset (Finns Party) youth group during the European Parliament election campaign, news agency Xinhua reported quoting National broadcaster Yle on Tuesday.

The youth organization posted an image of a dark-skinned couple holding a baby, with text urging people to vote for the Finns Party, saying "if you don't want Finland's future to look like this". The photo was copied from a Facebook post by the European Parliament.

The post was published on the youth wing's Twitter account earlier in May, and removed by the youth organization later, calling it "ill-advised" and "thoughtless".

The deleted tweet was posted by the youth group's deputy chair Toni Jalonen, who admitted that sharing the tweet was an ill-considered and unhealthy action, saying that he later realized that it was misguided.

Pekka Hatonen, chief inspector at Helsinki police department, told Yle that the department decided to launch the criminal probe into the tweet a few days ago.

Two suspects were involved in the investigation. One was the individual who posted the tweet, and the other was the person who commented on it, said Hanonen, adding that the offense was being investigated as ethnic agitation.

Perussuomalaiset chairman Jussi Halla-aho said earlier that there is a small group of people in the youth wing who do not seem to understand and accept the party's line.

Several members of the Perussuomalaiset, including Halla-aho, have been suspected or convicted of hate speech in the past, according to Finnish media.

Police said the preliminary investigation is expected to be completed in a few weeks.