Traffic disruption likely in Helsinki as Elokapina to hold demo

Elokapina (Extinction Rebellion Finland) is scheduled to organise a demonstration in Helsinki on Tuesday, which may cause significant traffic disruption for an extended period of time in the centre of Helsinki, police said in a press release on Monday.

The demonstration called “Boiling Point campaign” will start in front of the Parliament House at 3:00 p.m. from where the pro-environment activists will bring out a procession, which will end at Smolna via − Mannerheimintie and Eteläesplanadi, said the organisers and police.

Earlier on Monday, Elokapina community groups opened the Boiling Point campaign with a series of quick roadblocks in Helsinki, Espoo, Oulu, and Kuopio, Elokapina wrote in a post on its social media platform Facebook.

The campaign's goal is to push the Finnish government to abandon environmentally harmful subsidies and take responsibility for the climate crisis by stopping violations of the Climate Act and the Paris Agreement.

Monday's campaign highlighted the diversity within Extinction Rebellion Finland and the importance of various communities to the movement.

“Community groups consist of people from different age groups and professions, united by their desire to advocate for just climate and environmental policies. The community groups that initiated the campaign include Educators, Middle-Class Rebellion, Forest Rebellion, Animal Rebellion, Social and Health Care Rebellion, 45+, and Mothers` Rebellion, all of which express their concern about the current state of environmental policy through the lens of their respective groups,” Elokapina wrote in the post.

Meanwhile, the police recommend allocating time for moving around downtown. The police can direct traffic to alternative routes if necessary.

“The role of the police is to safeguard the freedom of expression of the demonstrators, public order and safety, and the rights of the citizens of Helsinki”, said Superintendent Jarmo Heinonen.

The police always negotiate with the organiser of the demonstration to ensure that the demonstration would not cause unreasonable disturbance to other citizens.

If the demonstration is carried out in significant violation of the law, endangers public order and safety, or obstructs traffic, the police may interfere with the course of the event by issuing instructions and orders or, ultimately, by ending the demonstration, the police warned.