Businessman suspects Elokapina of purchasing vandalism powder in Orimattila

Henri Kiviniemi, a businessman from Orimattila, suspects that the environmental activist group Elokapina purchased the colored powder used to vandalize the pillars of the Finnish Parliament from him. The sale occurred on Monday, and the vandalism took place on Wednesday. Kiviniemi points to the unusually large quantity and the specific color of the powder, which aligns with the vandalism’s theme, as supporting evidence.

Currently, Kiviniemi has no red powder available, as the buyers on Monday purchased all 50 liters he had in stock. “They asked for more, but I only had this batch ready. They took what I had,” Kiviniemi explained. Elokapina did not respond when asked about the source of the coloring agent.

According to Kiviniemi, the powder can be washed out of clothing but may not come out of concrete. He was unaware of the intended use of the powder at the time of sale and did not disclose whether the buyers provided any details afterward. He asserts that sellers should not bear responsibility for how their products are used.

Kiviniemi also considered the vandalism minor since no one was harmed, citing that it would have been a different scenario had explosives been involved. He maintains that it is unreasonable to expect sellers to oversee the usage of the products they sell, much like hardware stores sell hammers or tools that can be used in various ways.

Elokapina stated that the paint used was a mixture of colored powder and water, which Kiviniemi confirms is made from corn starch and becomes thick when mixed. As a well-known figure in explosive expertise, Kiviniemi’s company primarily sells colored powders for events, special effects in videos, and gender reveal parties, with common sales being significantly less than 50 liters at a time.