Syrian family faces ongoing harassment in Parainen, Finland

A Syrian family of nine, which relocated to Finland four years ago, has faced ongoing harassment in Parainen. The intimidation began a year ago when the refugee family moved into their rented house in the town center. The alleged perpetrator of the harassment, threats, and vandalism is a neighbor.

The latest incident occurred a couple of weeks ago when the family’s residence was defaced with red paint. Prior to this, the family’s car was vandalized with feces, tires were slashed, their children’s trampoline was destroyed, and the family received threats. The situation was first reported by Turun Sanomat.

According to Katri Tammio, a spokesperson for the Southwest Finland police, the investigation covers multiple offenses, including two acts of vandalism, severe violations of residential peace, illegal threats, and the recent defacement of the home. Yle has been unable to reach the lead investigator for updates regarding the case’s progress.

Gudrun Degerth, the city’s refugee coordinator, stated that the neighbor is both the source of the harassment and a suspect in the related criminal activities. In an interview with Turun Sanomat, the neighbor denied the accusations and accused the Syrian family of lying.

Degerth noted that the city is currently limited in its ability to assist the family, emphasizing, “Our hands are tied; this is now a matter for the police.” She expressed regret over the neighbor’s continuous harassment, saying, “It’s really unfortunate that one person can ruin an entire family’s life.” Degerth added that the situation could negatively impact Parainen’s reputation, which has generally been welcoming towards refugees.