Friends from Eastern Finland propose ban on Elokapina following disruption at Finnish Parliament

A group of friends from Eastern Finland, specifically Joensuu, Kuopio, and Savonlinna, are spearheading a legislative initiative to ban the environmental movement Elokapina. One of the group members, Jarkko Laukkanen from Savonlinna, explained that the idea for the proposal arose from conversations in their social circle, where many expressed opposition to the group’s activities. Recently, Elokapina disrupted the pillars of the Finnish Parliament building.

Laukkanen emphasized that it is inappropriate for the vandalism of one movement to burden all taxpayers. “Even though we are far from these events in Eastern Finland, they still affect us. We wondered if we could influence the situation in some way,” he said, noting that the initiative gained momentum quickly, attracting over 50,000 supporters within a day.

The initiative was created on Kansalaisaloite.fi, a platform where citizens can propose new legislation or changes to existing laws. However, the organizers were aware that disbanding organizations is not a legal matter and falls outside of parliamentary jurisdiction. To address this, they included a proposal to criminalize the funding of criminal activities. Despite this, it is unlikely to progress since similar legislation is already in place.

Laukkanen acknowledged that while the proposal may not lead to significant actions, it has successfully garnered attention for their cause. He stressed, “We do not oppose the values of Elokapina,” adding that while they support the environmental movement’s goals, they urge for lawful methods of advocacy.