Comment: After reading of the hate crime against Kokoomus speaker of the house, Ben Zyskowicz, it was now Chike Ohanwe’s turn. According to tabloid Iltalehti, a man tried to drag Ohanwe into the water at the Finnish science center Heureka.
Ohanwe starred in Neil Hardwick’s movie Jos rakastat.
The young actor was quoted as saying on his Facebook page that “these clowns do not represent Finland but themselves.”
With government talks going nowhere and the possibility of the Perussuomalaiset (PS) forming part of the next government, one only wonders how many more closet racists in Finland will be emboldened to attack innocent people.
The PS would have done a service to themselves and Finland if they would have come out last week with a credible public statement against racism. The problem of hate crimes and the rise of racism in Finland has become so alarming that President Tarja Halonen has expressed concern about this social ill, according to Iisalmi Sanomat.
What to do? Keep on writing and possibly organizing a huge march in Finland if the situation continues to escalates further.
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Irene Naakka
Jos rakastat -musikaalista tuttu näyttelijä Chike Ohanwe joutui rasistisen hyökkäyksen kohteeksi tiedekeskus Heurekan liepeillä Vantaan Tikkurilassa keskiviikkona.
I would like to know how this was “racist attack”
–I would like to know how this was “racist attack”
OK, Hannu, I agree totally with Singaporean_in_Finland’s question: Tell us why you think it wasn’t a racist attack? You are reading on the lawn minding your own business and then suddenly a person starts to drag you from the ankles into the water…
Have you read what hate crime is in Finland? You can find a good legal definition from this police report: http://www.poliisi.fi/poliisi/poliisioppilaitos/home.nsf/files/Raportteja_85_viharik/$file/Raportteja_85_viharik.pdf
Check out the bottom of page 13.
@Hannu
Explain to me how this is NOT a racist attack?
Actor Ohanwe Chike wrote of the incident in his Facebook page.
“I was just reading a book on the lawn of Heureka, when a man in his thirties began to shout that a seal had landed on the beach. I wasn’t paying attention, until I noticed that the man grabbed my ankle and tried to drag me into the water. ‘Animal must be taken back into the wild, “he said, ” Ohanwe wrote.
– I’ve encountered all kind of racism in my life and have learned to take it. However, this was clearly the most outrageous offense, which I’ve come across, “says Ohanwe IS.
Ohanwe was born in Finland, his mother is Finnish and Nigerian father.
Hannu’s understanding is that such conduct is not racist when the perpetrator is only thinking “saatanan neekeri”.
Anyway, there is no racism in Finland, so Ohanwe Chike must have done something to provoke this behaviour.
JD, I have quite actively followed this blog for a few days and I still can’t see what you are referring to when you say that someone is denying existence of racism in Finland. I personally have questioned whether it has really increased, but that is a different thing. Thing is, when a subject becomes a “hot topic” in discussion, it typically gets more visibility in the media. This may give impression that some phenomenon would have suddenly increased, while it probably has not. This can be often observed in case of various news topics.
Well… I have personally been victim of “lets free a whale” incident and im finn and i do look like a finn.
Its not nice or something what normally happens but it isnt racist, some drunk probably just thought that was funny.
Keep blaming racist attacks on drunkards when its already visible in almost all spheres of our society.