Esko Saastamoinen, the Perussuomalaiset (PS) councilperson from Lieksa who demanded that a ”Somali-free” meeting room for his delegation, has been sacked as the PS’ town council leader, according to Karjalainen, a Joensuu-based daily.
Saastamoinen was, however, able to retain his post as the party’s Lieksa town board first vice president.
The PS councilperson faces as well charges for ethnic agitation and discrimination.
The former PS town council leader “demanded” at a public meeting on Monday that his delegation be given a new meeting room because it was being used by a Somali working group, according to YLE in English.
The demand made by Saastamoinen for a new meeting room, which had been supported by another PS councilperson, was made in the presence of Lieksa Lehti editor Marja Mölsä, who published the news.
In an earlier story published by Iltalehti, in which the town secretary gave in to the Lieksa PS’ demands for a new meeting room, was flatly denied Wednesday by the town’s Mayor Esko Lehto.
He said that ”under no circumstances” will the PS councilpersons be given a new meeting room as the town secretary had confirmed in an earlier Iltalehti story.
The question we should ask after this latest scandal by the PS is why Saastamoinen and another PS councilperson, who supported the idea of a new meeting room, are still members of the party.
Certainly there would be outrage if a politician made a similar demand in a country like the United Kingdom or the United States.
This affair shows once again that the PS still treat nicely their racists.
It reveals as well why racism is still considered “normal” and encouraged in some parts of Finland.