Musician apologises for sexually suggestive post about Helsinki police officer

Musician Ilkka “Ile” Vainio has apologised for a sexually suggestive Facebook post about Helsinki police traffic officer Dennis Pasterstein, Yle reported.

“I apologise. I did not want to offend him,” Vainio told Yle.

In the post, which Vainio deleted on Wednesday, he described Pasterstein and his work in vulgar terms. It also suggested that flashes from a speed camera on Koskelantie in Helsinki gave Pasterstein sexual pleasure.

Pasterstein filed a police report on Wednesday to determine whether the post could constitute defamation.

Vainio said he considered the report excessive because he had not intended to cause Pasterstein harm. He said Pasterstein could have called him directly and asked him to remove the post.

Vainio said he had been driving at 35 kilometres per hour on Koskelantie, where the speed limit is 30 kilometres per hour. He received a 100 euro traffic penalty after the camera flashed.

He said his frustration with the camera was behind the post. He had also seen a report by Helsingin Uutiset in which Pasterstein said the camera had flashed 1,000 times during one weekend.

“It seems a bit like a money-making point to me. I then wrote a lively, humorous text. I made it too vulgar. I could have written it in a more decent way,” Vainio said.

Vainio said he had not considered that the post could spread beyond his Facebook account.

Pasterstein says the post was inappropriate

Pasterstein told Yle on Wednesday that Vainio’s text was inappropriate. He said he did not accept its sexual overtones and that such writing did not belong in a proper public discussion.

According to Pasterstein, critical feedback and criticism of his official duties are part of legitimate civic debate. He said Vainio’s post did not meet that standard.

“No police officer or other public official has to accept or should accept this kind of thing,” Pasterstein said.

Vainio says the controversy had a positive effect

Vainio said the camera on Koskelantie had come as a surprise to him and that the speed limits had not initially been clearly displayed enough, in his view.

The new camera had been in place for about two weeks. Pasterstein said it had already flashed between 3,000 and 4,000 times.

Vainio said speed enforcement was necessary as long as the signs were clear.

“It feels as if the camera flashes at everyone,” he said.

Vainio said the controversy had not been pointless, because the publicity surrounding the camera might have made drivers use greater caution on Koskelantie. He said he had also slowed down and had not received any further penalties.

“I have done something for safety,” he said.