Perussuomalaiset MP suspected of ethnic agitation

A Perussuomalaiset (Finns Party) lawmaker is reportedly suspected of ethnic agitation over a post in social media in which he claims to have spat a Romanian beggar, national broadcaster Yle reported.

Police Detective JouniNiskanen told Yle that the authority already initiated an investigation into the lawmaker Juho Eerola for the suspected ethnic agitation.

Eerola, who denied committing any crime told news agency STT that police had interrogated him about a Facebook post regarding Romanian beggars.

Eerola allegedly said in the facebook post that he had spat at a Roma panhandler where he also described Romanians as criminals.

Meanwhile, Perussuomalaiset Chair JussiHalla-aho said that ethnic agitation is an unclear offence, which could be used in political purpose.

He said to Yle that he had only briefly discussed the matter with Eerola and did not find any reason behind taking action based on suspicion.

In 2012, the Supreme Court ordered Halla-aho to pay a fine for anti-Islam blog posts dating back to 2008, said the Yle report.