Arson attack made at refugees' protest camp in Helsinki

A tent at the asylum seekers protest camp in downtown Helsinki was set alight on Friday, with police calling the incident "apparent arson," local media reported.

Protestors at the camp told Finnish national broadcaster Yle that one person was injured and sent for treatment.

The fire was extinguished before the police arrived at the scene. According to police, some bystanders reported that they saw a man in black running away from the scene.

Patrik Karlsson, inspector from the Helsinki Police Department, told the Finnish daily Helsingin Sanomat that the case was being investigated as vandalism, as it was done by an outsider "obviously intentionally."

Karlsson said police did not find any object that would have ignited the fire.

Iraqi and Afghan asylum seekers have demonstrated against the Finnish immigration policy, setting up the camp on the Helsinki Railway Square for more than a month.

Earlier this week, an asylum seeker was attacked with gas spray at the camp.