Oulu mayor expresses concern over racially motivated stabbing incidents

The recent references to a racist motive in the stabbing incident at Oulu’s Kastelli have left the city’s mayor, Ari Alatossava, feeling sorrowful and perplexed. Following an investigation, police suspect that the attack on a high school boy was indeed a racially motivated hate crime, marking the third violent offense in Oulu within a short timeframe, all linked to similar motives. These incidents include two stabbings at the Valkea shopping center in June and the Kastelli stabbing in September.

Alatossava acknowledges that such hate crimes could impact perceptions of Oulu among foreign workers, whose presence the city actively seeks. However, he believes the overall picture hasn’t drastically changed. “Students and workers will continue to come to Oulu from abroad, but this certainly casts an unfortunate shadow on the situation,” he stated.

Approximately 12,000 to 13,000 residents in Oulu speak languages other than Finnish or Swedish, many having moved to the city for work. The number of foreign residents, however, has seen a slight decline.

The police believe the Kastelli stabbing points to long-standing hostile attitudes towards foreigners. Alatossava reflects on the root causes of such attitudes and their manifestations.

In response, Oulu plans to intensify efforts against racism, having already developed an anti-racism program for 2025-2026 and seeking to join a network of European cities combating racism. The city aims to allocate more resources and personnel to these initiatives. Alatossava emphasizes the importance of engaging both youth and adults, especially immigrants, in the fight against discrimination and promoting equality in educational settings. Additionally, Oulu’s HR manager, Ari Heikkinen, noted that the racist motive identified in the Kastelli stabbing underscores the urgency of advancing the anti-racism program.