Perussuomalaiset (PS) MP Juho Eerola said that Wednesday’s attack by suspected neo-Nazi thugs at a book presentation in Jyväskylä was probably staged in order to sell more books, reports Turun Sanomat citing STT.
Two of Äärioikesto Suomessa’s (Far right in Finland) three authors, Li Andersson and Mikael Brunila, were present at the event but weren’t hurt. One man, who attempted to prevent three men from gaining entry to the event, was stabbed, write YLE in English.
The man was taken to the hospital but his injuries were not serious.
Police now say that both sides were armed but declined to specify what kinds of weapons were being used.
Criticism against the police has been mounting. Uljas, a University of Eastern Finland student publication, claims that the police were aware that far right members were going to be sent from Joensuu to the book event in Jyväskylä.
The police chose not to do anything.
While what happened Wednesday was condemned by all parties because it infringes on freedom of speech and the right to assembly, PS vice president Eerola gave advice the following day how neo-Nazi Suomen Kansalinen Vastarinta activists should crash such an event the next time.
“The next time don’t look like ”patriots” when you plan to enter such an event. Don’t go as a group but be [inconspicuous] in the crowd,” he wrote.
Friday’s Helsingin Sanomat published Eerola’s comments. He later apologized for not expressing his ideas more clearly.
While the PS MP may regret publicly what he said, it’s a common tactic used by the party’s members to express their far right or racist views. After they make an inappropriate statement they disclaim it by stating that it was “sarcasm” or that their statements “were taken out of context by the media.”
Eerola said that the what happened in Jyväskylä was staged in order to sell more books.
”It surprises me that whenever this type of far right violence happens it always happens at an event with Dan Koivulaakso or Li Andersson,” he was quoted as saying. ”Nowhere else does it happen in practice. It’s the right, good advertising for their book so that where they’re giving a talk on how dangerous the far right it’s where the far right strikes.”
Politicians like Eerola, whose ties with fascism are well known, should look at the mirror before making such outrageous statements.
His aide, Ulla Pyysalo, was embroiled in a scandal in 2011 when it become public that she had applied for membership in the neo-Nazi Suomen Kansallinen Vastarina (SKV).
Eerola as well as PS MPs like Jussi Halla-aho, James Hirvisaari, Olli Immonen and many others have victimized and lynched on social media immigrants. All of them have built their political careers thanks to fear-mongering and the social media.
UPDATE: Here’s a link that lists (in Finnish) nine attacks by the SKV.