Police seize swastika flag after repeated displays on Kouvola balcony

Police in Kouvola have confiscated a swastika flag after its owner repeatedly displayed it on their apartment balcony, Yle reports.

The first report about the flag came on 28 June. Authorities ordered its removal, but it was put back up multiple times. On Thursday, the flag was visible in a window, prompting media coverage. By Friday, police had seized it and questioned the resident.

A criminal report has been filed for incitement against a population group. While the swastika flag itself is not illegal in Finland, its public display can constitute a crime. In 2024, the Helsinki Court of Appeal ruled that carrying swastika flags in an Independence Day parade was unlawful under incitement charges.

Finnish law defines incitement against a population group as making threats, defamation, or insults based on race, skin colour, origin, nationality, ethnicity, religion, belief, sexual orientation, disability, or comparable grounds. The offence carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison or a fine.