Library Oodi in Helsinki may host competing book clubs on Finland’s Independence Day

On Finland’s Independence Day, the Helsinki Central Library Oodi may become a venue for competing book clubs. In response, additional security personnel have been requested, according to the library’s director. The police are also aware of the situation.

The openly racist Sinimusta movement has announced plans to hold a book club at Oodi, during which the group intends to read a pamphlet outlining their nationalist strategy. In contrast, Helsinki’s leftist youth have reacted by booking a private room at the library for their own book club, where they will discuss a 2013 publication titled “The Far Right in Finland.”

Previously, a presentation related to this book was interrupted in Jyväskylä when an individual with far-right affiliations attacked an attendee. The assistant mayor of Helsinki, a member of the left, has urged supporters on social media to join their book club to oppose the Sinimusta event.

Library regulations are clear: individuals or groups may reserve private meeting spaces without surveillance or restrictions on the conversations that take place. However, if it becomes evident that a reservation is made to promote activities against city rules, such as supporting racist actions, permission will be denied.

The Sinimusta group has not officially reserved a space at Oodi, and any attempt to do so would be considered a violation of city regulations. Political activities are permitted only in specific contexts, such as during election debates represented by at least three different parties.

While members of the Sinimusta movement can gather to discuss literature, the library has communicated its rules to them. The director intends to monitor the situation, stating that if discussions become political or threatening, the gathering will be terminated. In 2022, an attempt by the Sinimusta to hold a racially exclusive book club at Oodi was cancelled, although a few members still convened without a reservation. The library hopes for a peaceful coexistence between the different groups on Independence Day.