THE STORY WAS UPDATED
Veteran National Coalition Party (Kokoomus) MP Ben Zyskowicz was attacked a second time Saturday in Eastern Helsinki by a man who threatened to kill him, according to Helsingin Sanomat. While waiting for the metro, a man approached the MP, started to yell, and punched him in the face.
The police apprehended the suspect.
In 2011, A middle-aged man stepped in front of Zyskowicz and tried to attack him, according to the tabloid Iltalehti.
Zyskowicz said that the man’s motive was political. He hurled insults at the MP about NATO and Jews.
All the major parties and President Sauli Niinistö condemned the attack.
The latest attack against Zyskowicz is another example of how violent Finland has become for politicians. Moreover, far-right ideology has stained politics through parties like the Perussuomalaiset (PS)* and the tacit approval of others like Kokoomus that quietly approve their policies.
On Wednesday, a 28-year-old white Finn was taken into police custody on suspicion of terrorism. In December 2021, the police announced Finland’s first far-right terrorism case.
According to the European Islamophobia Report 2022, “The PS is one of the most important platforms of Finland’s Islamophobic network with ties to openly hostile and violent groups like Suomen Sisu, Soldiers of Odin, Hommaforum, Kansallismielisten liitouma (National Alliance), Sinimusta Liike (Black-and-Blue Movement), the banned neo-Nazi Pohjoismainen vastarintaliike, and others.
Parties like the PS and other parties, the media, and the police have made a big deal about the threat of “youth gangs,” even if we are talking about 100-200 members.
What makes “youth gangs” an easy target by such parties is that many of its members aren’t white Finns. Moreover, it is a perfect topic to exploit before the parliamentary election on April 2.
Will these types of attacks grow in the future?
As long as politicians are wishy-washy about discrimination, racism, and anti-Semitism, these types of attacks will worsen.
According to Iltalehti the atta cker had attac ked poli ce during the Smash ASEM ri ot. Smash ASEM was organized by far-left anarc hists. So check your facts.
Did we say that the attacker was from the far right? What we showed were the tweets by Sinimusta Liike after the attack.