December 6th Demonstrations in Helsinki, Finland

December 6^th is marked as the “independence day” of Finland, and is a day of demonstrations and struggle every year. One demonstration took place outside the Presidents Castle, and anti-cuts, anti-imperialist and revolutionary forces participated. Another demonstration was the counter demonstration against the yearly reactionary 612-march.

One event of this day was the bourgeois gala dinner held at the Presidents Castle, where, as Punalippu reports, “the bourgeois gathers around the president and celebrates ‘national unity’”, with broad coverage of the bourgeois press.

Punalippu reports that Anti-Imperialist Collective (AIC) participated, together with other anti-cuts, anti imperialist, and revolutionary forces, in the so-called Jaukkovoima demonstration, which denounced that the misery of the people increases while the rich celebrate at the President Castle.

The demonstration gathered up to 100 people, and took place near the Presidents Castle, and Punalippu reports that AIC held a speech in which they denounced unemployment, and took part in the rally at Kauppatori (an important Square) under the slogan “End unemployment! Down with the system of genocides!”

We hereby share a video in which this speech can be seen:

The Red Action also took part in the rally under the slogan “Down with the butcher State! Forwards in the construction of the revolutionary movement!” and agitated against the Finish State, Punalippu reports.

Police were heavily present, and Punalippu reports that according to eye-witness accounts military police vehicles were present, and the streets leading in to the Kauppatori had been blocked. After half an hour, the rally was encircled by police, who demanded that they disband without any justification thereof.

Punalippu writes: “The arbitrary dispersion of a completely peaceful demonstration criticizing the Finnish State and the constant worsening of the living conditions of the people with threats of violence shows what the bourgeois democracy truly is […]”

Punalippu reports that the arbitrariness of the reaction was also seen at the yearly reactionary 612-march and the Helsinki without Nazis counter demonstration. 2000-3000 people participated in the counter demonstration, and also here the police encircled the demonstration. At least 4 people were arrested.