A hardy group of protestors was not put off by mixed weather conditions that saw rain, sleet and hail descend on Helsinki Saturday morning. According to police reports, some 200 – 300 people gathered at the Central Railway Station to protest tax havens and to call for the government to step down.
Yle reporter Ahti Koskinen said that participants appeared to be united by a common desire to see the government step down.
Koskinen said the demonstrators represented many different groups, and that the protest had been coordinated by a grassroots organisation known as "People power against government policy" (Joukkovoimaa hallituspolitiikkaa vastaan).
The group had also been involved in a previous anti-austerity demonstration in March that drew a crowd of some 8,000.
An end to austerity
The group wants to see an end to austerity policies in Finland and wider Europe, and has also called for the introduction of a reasonable basic income, as well as the protection of fundamental human rights for all.
Saturday’s demonstration specifically targeted tax havens, following the Panama Papers data leak that implicated many affluent members of society in suspected tax evasion. The group also called on the government to resign over the revelations.
Yle’s man on the ground speculated that showers that fell at the start of the demonstration at 12.00 may have dampened enthusiasm for the event. Protesters dispersed by about 2.00 pm.
