What would you say if a white Finn dressed like a Muslim attacked a Lutheran church in Helsinki by breaking its windows, yelling and obstructing window repairmen from repairing the damage he caused? What would you say if this happened on Tuesday night, when YLE aired A2 Islam debate on television?
Would you say it was an isolated case or yet another example of how Islamophobia has raised its ugly head in this country?
What your answer is depends on your personal perspective.
What is my answer? Since Finland is my country and since it is my home, I have an obligation to defend it from threats that weaken and undermine its values. One matter that is threatening and challenging Finland is outright intolerance.
If you deny and believe what happened is an isolated incident, you should then ask what the election of 39 MPs of an anti-EU and anti-immigration party to parliament in 2011 signaled.
Read full story here.
So what happened on Tuesday night?
According to Seurakuntalainen, eyewitnesses who saw what happened called the police and a window repair company. The suspect tried to stop the window repair men from changing the windows. He was reported to have told them that what he did was a message and warning.
A warning against what? That there are Muslims living in this country? That there are Islamophobes in this country that think it is perfectly find to spread hatred and feed our racism?
It will be interesting to see what kind of charges are brought against the suspect and how the authorities weigh this incident.
UPDATE (4.11.13): It appears that the religious affiliation of the man that attacked the Roihuvuoren Church on Tuesday isn’t clear. Migrant Tales is investigating and will publish something on the matter this afternoon.
Enrique, I wouldn’t draw any conclusion yet, based on the information available. That news article say that the perpetrator was kantasuomalainen, which probably mean that the person was a white Finn, some other news say that he was Finnish citizen and born in Finland, which might not mean that the person is white. And in both cases he may be or may not be a Muslim. As it is usually said on the good old Hommaforum, it is better to wait more details before pointing fingers, although I must mention that some persons on Hommaforum speculated that this might have been some kind false flag operation, just like you seem to suspect. It could also be that that perpetrator is somehow mentally disturbed person.
I would like to remind you that you have in the past jumped to conclusions based on your beliefs, like talking about racist motive on one case in Espoo, which have then proved to be false and that may have caused unneccesary hatred between ethnic groups. There is high risk of spreading false rumours and that may cause some kind of revenge attacks even to completely innocent targets. In Espoo case, police were afraid that immigrants might make revenge attack against white Finns, because they falsely believed that the had been a racist motive and Police tried to defuse these rumours. I haven’t heard that in Espoo case, that there would have been any revenge attacks, but there has been cases of revenge attacks towards completely innocent persons in Finland.
I this case, I think that both the church and the mosque where the perpetrator came from, have behaved exemplarily. The church representative told it was exceptional case and didn’t blame the mosque, but told that the mosque had apologized the event, although at this point it is unclear if the perpetrator had anything to do with the perpetrator.
According to this news source, the perpetrator is a Muslim convert:
http://www.kirkkojakaupunki.fi/uutiset/roihuvuoren-seurakunta-tapaa-moskeijan-johtoa-2
Agreed PS Voter. I’ve altered the title to reflect current uncertainties about the case – hope you don’t mind, Enrique! Feel free to modify it again based on your own editorial decision.
I highly doubt that he was a muslim. In islam you’re not even allowed to commit an act like that. i believe that this man tried to dirt the reputation of muslims living in this country, he even chose the right moment wich is islam ilta. I maybe wrong but i highly doubt that he was a moslim, maybe he was on act but definetly not a muslim.
It is quite strong statement you say definitely could not be a Muslim. People commit crimes every day, even they might have a religious background and their holy book teaches otherwise. Religion cannot stop people making crimes and belonging to a certain religion does not make you innocent – otherwise all criminals would be non-believers and atheists.
With this story on the alleged white Finn who attacked the church in Helsinki, I’d watch the news to see how this story evolves. Is he a Muslim or not? We don’t know because the only thing that the police said was that he was a Finnish citizen born in Finland.
I called Radio Dei today and they told me what has been written in the media: He is a “kantasuomalainen,” or a red-blooded Finn. I asked if such a person could be a Muslim as well. They didn’t answer my question.
Kirkko & Kaupunki claim that the suspect was a convert to Islam.
http://www.kirkkojakaupunki.fi/uutiset/roihuvuoren-seurakunta-tapaa-moskeijan-johtoa-2
Even so, I heard from one person that nobody knew him at the mosque where he was apprehended by the police.
The police haven’t given us a clue. Why?
-“I highly doubt that he was a muslim. In islam you’re not even allowed to commit an act like that.”
So what you are saying is that it’s impossible for a Muslim to commit a crime just because he’s a Muslim? Hmmm I thought I heard it all until just now. I guess that would make the Middle East the safest region in the world? Oh hold on….
I don’t want to speculate yet whether or not the attacker was a real Muslim or not or what the motives were, but I would like to remind that there has been several attacks against churches in Egypt, which have been much more serious than this attack at Helsinki. Some of the churches have been burned, people have been shot etc. As far as I know, the attackers in these cases in Egypt have identified themselves as Muslims.
And in one source I saw that the head of mosque had reprimanded the perpetrator for his attack. I think we will have to wait in order to have better understanding what has really happened and what kind of history/background this attacker really has.
It is quite common that while police is investigating a crime, they don’t tell many details as it could make investigation more difficult or cause some other problems.
BTW, I remember that you have opposed revealing the ethnic identity of the persons who commit crimes in news articles and I have had opposite view as I am against censoring news as I think that ethnic background is one piece of information and that it should not be left out. Why do you now seem to be so interested about the ethnic background of the perpetrator if it doesn’t really matter what the ethnic background is, as you have previously claimed?
–Why do you now seem to be so interested about the ethnic background of the perpetrator if it doesn’t really matter what the ethnic background is, as you have previously claimed?
Good question but I think the main point here is the speculation that the suspect was a white Finn. That still doesn’t imply that he couldn’t be a Muslim. It also shows you have to handle these type of stories carefully.
Despite what happened and despite the fact that the person is an alleged white Finn, I doubt that the person will end up stigmatizing Finns for what he did. With minorities it can be different and the impact harsher on the whole community.
Enrique you should either want ALL suspects ethnicity to be revealed or NONE. One or the other. Cherry picking which ethnicities can be disclosed according to your agenda is discrimination at it’s purest as the type of treatment is solely based on their background. It’s like saying harsher sentences should be given to one group than another group even though the crime committed is the same.
–It’s like saying harsher sentences should be given to one group than another group even though the crime committed is the same.
Isn’t that what happens in real life? Hint: Go and see how many blacks have been sentenced and for how many years and then compare that with whites. There is a HUGE difference and one very important factor is ethnic background.
Read my comment again to understand why it was ok to state he was an alleged white Finn.
It’s a bit like comparing white racism with black racism. They aren’t the same.
Joonas – continuous resident on November 1, 2013 at 7:06 pm
I highly doubt that he was a muslim. In islam you’re not even allowed to commit an act like that — definetly not a muslim.
It is quite strong statement you say definitely could not be a Muslim. People commit crimes every day, even they might have a religious background and their holy book teaches otherwise. Religion cannot stop people making crimes and belonging to a certain religion does not make you innocent – otherwise all criminals would be non-believers and atheists.
But this kind of incident never happened before, where a colored muslims attacks church, so believe this person had agenda to put a blame on muslims. I maybe wrong but somehow i suspect that he is a muslim in disguise. Sorry about my english, i hope you all get a sense out of it.
PS voter – continuous resident on November 1, 2013 at 7:39 pm
It is quite strong statement you say definitely could not be a Muslim. People commit crimes every day, even they might have a religious background and their holy book teaches otherwise.
I don’t want to speculate yet whether or not the attacker was a real Muslim or not or what the motives were, but I would like to remind that there has been several attacks against churches in Egypt, which have been much more serious than this attack at Helsinki. Some of the churches have been burned, people have been shot etc. As far as I know, the attackers in these cases in Egypt have identified themselves as Muslims.
Where they white Finn Muslims who did those attacks in Egypt? becuz i don’t understand your point of telling us about those incidents in Egypt. The person who dressed like a muslim and attacked the church in here is a white Finnish so called muslim. There has never been before where a colored muslim ever attacked a church in Finland. Anybody can dress like a muslim and commit a crime in the name of islam and claim to be a muslim, but that doesnt make him a one. i Stronly believe this person is a imposter.
But this kind of incident never happened before, where a colored muslims attacks church, so believe this person had agenda to put a blame on muslims. I maybe wrong but somehow i suspect that he is a muslim in disguise. Sorry about my english, i hope you all get a sense out of it.
Klay_immigrant – on a visitor’s visa on November 1, 2013 at 10:18 pm
-”I highly doubt that he was a muslim. In islam you’re not even allowed to commit an act like that.”
So what you are saying is that it’s impossible for a Muslim to commit a crime just because he’s a Muslim? Hmmm I thought I heard it all until just now. I guess that would make the Middle East the safest region in the world? Oh hold on….
///////////
Kaly what u know about religion? Why u attack Muslim countries if ur a good one ? Why u judge people with their religion?
Muslim, Christian, whats different? they are both human beings, try to see the truth.
You yourself do crimes with ur words.
and where is safest place in the world? sure its not ur region, because where u are and u live wont be a safe place.