Former Finns Party Youth Leader Charged with Incitement in Finland

Toni Jalonen, former vice chairman of the youth wing of the Finns Party, has been charged with incitement against a population group. Jalonen, who lived in Pori, shared a European Union advertisement on Twitter during the 2019 European Parliament election campaign, featuring a family with dark skin. He added a caption stating, “Vote for the Finns Party so that the future of Finland doesn’t look like this.” The leadership of the Finns Party youth later expressed regret over the publication of this message. According to the indictment, the text was visible for four days.

The Prosecutor General has ordered the indictment to be filed at the Satakunta District Court. The prosecutor argues that Jalonen’s message is illegal. They state, “The clear message is that the skin color of black individuals is a negative trait on the basis of which their migration and settlement in Europe and Finland should be prevented.” The indictment claims that the statements are derogatory to the dignity of black individuals and likely to provoke contempt, intolerance, and even hatred against them.

The prosecution asserts that the text cannot be regarded as an acceptable form of exaggeration or provocation within the bounds of political free speech, seeking a fine for Jalonen. A ruling is expected in October.

Jalonen gained national notoriety in 2020 after declaring himself a fascist, leading to his expulsion from the Finns Party. Subsequently, the party ended its collaboration with the youth wing and established a new youth organization. “We do not want any racial theories or phrenology in this party. They are harmful and irrelevant to our political goals,” said then-party chairman Jussi Halla-aho. Jalonen is currently affiliated with the Sinimusta Movement, having run as a candidate in the last parliamentary elections in Uusimaa, and is noted as the chairman of the Helsinki chapter of the movement. The registration of this fascist and racist movement was revoked in the spring.