The Turku branch of the Finns Party has apologised for the content of a video posted on social media platform Instagram by an incoming city councillor.
The video was shared last week by Riku-Mikael Leppänen, who successfully secured a seat for the Finns Party on Turku's city council at the recent local election.
In the video, footage from a music gig — in which an artist chants the gender minority slogan "they/them energy" — is spliced together with footage of a military tank taking aim and firing.
Leppänen added the text "Turun eka valtuuston kokous" ("Turku's first council meeting") to the video.
His actions were unanimously condemned following a cross-party meeting of councillors on Saturday, including from within his own party.
"We apologise for the actions of our representative and we condemn it. Leppänen will face consequences within the framework allowed by our rules," Finns Party members Juha Anttila and Hannu Maja wrote in a joint press release.
The statement added that the party is fully committed to the work of the council on tackling discrimination in the city.
Piia Elo (SDP), a leading candidate for the position of Turku mayor, said the other parties on the council want to see concrete action from the Finns Party in response to Leppänen's behaviour before the final distribution of seats on the council is decided on Sunday.
"We require all members of the Finns Party group, including Leppänen, to commit to the agreement in all respects with their signatures before we decide on the final consequences," Elo said.
