Protesters arrested after vandalizing Finnish Parliament columns with red paint in Helsinki

The columns of the Finnish Parliament building still bear traces of red paint from a protest, despite efforts to clean them. According to Yle journalist Mikko Ritta, the red color is particularly visible in the seams of the columns. The paint stained his fingers when he wiped the colored area on one of the pillars.

Images comparing the state of the columns before and after cleaning illustrate the lingering marks. Protesters have been arrested following the incident and are currently held at a police detention center in Helsinki’s Pasilan.

The activists sprayed red paint onto the columns using fire extinguishers. The environmental group Elokapina stated that the paint used was a mixture of water and cornstarch.

Sari Turunen, the property manager for the Parliament, noted that water-soluble dyes always leave marks on porous granite surfaces.

Professor Sakari Melander, a criminal law expert, commented that the designation of “aggravated vandalism” could arise from the act’s target—an area of cultural and historical significance that is protected. Melander emphasized that whether or not the dye can be completely removed does not significantly affect the assessment of the crime’s classification.