Researchers warn politicians’ comments fuel violent activism in Finland

Politicians are giving violent activist groups increased visibility and legitimacy through their public statements, researchers have warned, following clashes at a far-right May Day march in Tampere.

According to a report by Finnish public broadcaster Yle, clashes during the march organised by the far-right Sinimusta Liike (Black and Blue Movement) have sparked debate over the relationship between political rhetoric and street-level extremism. Police are investigating three assaults linked to the event, including two cases where far-right marchers allegedly attacked counter-protesters.

Niko Pyrhönen, a researcher at the University of Helsinki specialising in conspiracy theories and activism, said small extremist groups gain outsized attention when politicians engage with their narratives.

“It’s crucial to ask whether parties turn a blind eye to violence, encourage it, or clearly condemn it,” Pyrhönen said. “Without political support, these movements wouldn’t receive this level of attention.”

Tommi Kotonen, a senior lecturer at the University of Jyväskylä, noted that opposition to immigration forms a ideological continuum linking street protesters to lawmakers in parliament. While he acknowledged that far-right groups remain small—numbering at most a few hundred—he stressed that their activism is part of a broader political landscape, not an isolated phenomenon.

“If you look broadly enough, you’ll find overlaps. Opposition to immigration is a common denominator,” Kotonen said, adding that some MPs from the Finns Party share rhetorical similarities with far-right street activists.

Both researchers emphasised that the issue extends beyond the right wing. Pyrhönen pointed to ideological parallels between climate activists like Elokapina (Extinction Rebellion Finland) and Green Party MPs, though he noted that politicians and activists often differ sharply on tactics.

“Sometimes, parties include people who share values with disruptive activists—but that’s different from endorsing violence or lawbreaking,” Pyrhönen said.

Kotonen echoed this, suggesting a politician might dismiss activist methods as foolish even while agreeing with some underlying ideas.

The Tampere march drew multiple far-right groups, including Soldiers of Odin, whose ideologies overlap despite varying degrees of explicit fascist or nationalist rhetoric, according to Kotonen. Police continue to investigate the incidents, which have provoked widespread condemnation on social media.