Five Muslim graves desecrated in Oulu cemetery

Five Muslim graves were vandalised at Oulu’s Intiö cemetery in late May, including three belonging to young men who drowned in Kalajoki last summer, Yle reports.

Aino As-Saadi, whose husband’s grave was among those defaced, discovered the damage—black undercoating spray-painted over the headstones—and expressed shock. “What madness made someone do this?” she asked. Her husband, originally from Palestine, was buried in the Muslim section of the cemetery.

Cleaning the stones costs between €350 and €500, a fee borne by the families. As-Saadi’s insurance does not cover the expense, and municipal cemetery services do not assume responsibility for vandalism repairs. The high cost stems from the need to re-gild the inscribed names.

The three graves of the drowned youth will also be cleaned; Kokkola reception centre, where the boys lived, has agreed to pay. They had no relatives in Finland to cover the cost.

Police are investigating the incident as property damage and violation of grave peace but have yet to identify suspects. The lack of witnesses or surveillance cameras has complicated the inquiry.

Abdul Mannan, imam of the Northern Finland Islamic Community, condemned the act and urged authorities to hold the perpetrators accountable. “A cemetery is a place of respect and peace,” he said.