Restaurant incident in Helsinki raises questions about entry criteria and discrimination laws in Finland

An incident reported by Yle involves a Helsinki restaurant that barred entry to a group of Black friends, prompting police to clarify that establishments have the right to choose their customers. The situation has been reported to the Equality Ombudsman, and a police report has been filed, reportedly by a representative of the restaurant for defamation.

This raises questions about the criteria businesses, especially restaurants, use to select their patrons. Can a restaurant dictate dress codes for entry? Can they assess customers based on their appearance?

Veli-Matti Aittoniemi from the Finnish hospitality and restaurant association, Mara, provided insight on this issue. He shared a peculiar case where a restaurant banned wedding dresses after couples sought compensation for damaged gowns. The venue, popular for wedding receptions, enacted a rule requiring couples to change out of their wedding attire before entering.

Aittoniemi believes establishments can impose reasonable dress codes. For instance, entry might be denied for casual attire like sneakers or cargo pants. However, he stresses that customers should be informed of the specific reasons for being denied entry or removed, such as inappropriate behavior or dress standards.

While restaurants can maintain certain standards, Aittoniemi warns against selecting patrons based on vague criteria like physical appearance, as this can lead to discrimination. He reinforces that the Finnish law prohibits customer selection based on discriminatory grounds like ethnicity, disability, or sexual orientation.

In summary, while restaurants do have rights in choosing their clientele, these must align with legal protections against discrimination to ensure fair treatment for all customers.