Pride flag stolen and burned from Finnish town hall sparks outrage and police investigation

A rainbow flag, stolen from the town hall of Vöyri in Ostrobothnia, Finland, was burned in the early hours of Sunday. Footage of the incident is circulating on social media.

Anna Bertills, chair of the Vöyri municipal board, expressed her distress and concern over the incident on the municipality’s Facebook page. “We are very sad about what has happened – and not just sad: we are both angry and extremely worried about what has been done,” she said.

This was the first year that Vöyri had flown the flag in support of Pride and sexual minorities. Previously, no acts of vandalism had been directed at the flag. Bertills stated in an interview that the community’s response to the municipality’s Pride flag-raising has generally been positive.

She emphasized the importance of condemning such behavior, regardless of where the vandalism occurred. “This is not acceptable, zero tolerance for such cases. This is unpleasant symbolism,” Bertills stressed.

Bertills also called for tolerance and understanding towards diversity. “This is not just a problem in Vöyri, but a broader phenomenon. We need to take responsibility for what happens in our own municipality and react to it,” she said.

In early June, Pride flags were stolen in Pedersöre, just half an hour after they had been hoisted.

Vöyri municipality has filed a police report about the Sunday night incident. Bertills believes that the municipality’s swift reaction to the incident and reporting it to the police sends an important message. “It shows that such an act is not acceptable, and that enough is enough,” she said.

Bertills did not want to comment on who might be responsible for the flag vandalism. The police are now investigating the case. However, she underscored that regardless of whether the act was committed by young people or adults, it should not be excused. “In my opinion, we must demand more from each other and society,” she said.

The burning of Vöyri’s Pride flag was first reported by Ilkka-Pohjalainen.