Far-right activist fined in Finland for flag burning and hate speech

By admin On Aug 25, 2025

Israeli Flag. Photo: LE (Yavne, 2007) / Wikipedia Commons

A 36-year-old man affiliated with the far-right Blue-and-Black Movement has been fined for incitement against Jewish people after burning an Israeli flag and distributing a video of the act online.

The Southwest Finland District Court handed down a sentence of 50 day-fines, amounting to €1,650. The man admitted to both burning the flag and publishing the footage on digital platforms.

Court documents identified the man as a member of the Blue-and-Black Movement, which re-entered the official party register in May.

The group had previously been delisted after the Supreme Administrative Court ruled its programme was in conflict with Finland’s constitution and human rights law.

The defendant’s online presence includes repeated references to National Socialism and his past links to the Finns Party. His current profile states ongoing membership in the Blue-and-Black Movement.

Authorities confirmed that the video was publicly accessible on websites associated with the group as well as other social media channels.

The Blue-and-Black Movement traces its origins to former members of the Finns Party who split due to ideological differences. The group promotes ethnonationalist views and references fascist traditions in its materials and rhetoric.

Despite legal scrutiny, the movement met the requirement of 5,000 verified supporter cards to register again as a political party earlier this year.

The case adds to a growing list of hate speech prosecutions involving individuals tied to fringe political groups in Finland. The Ministry of Justice has previously reported an increase in cases involving incitement against ethnic or religious minorities, particularly on social media.

The man has not appealed the court’s decision.

Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi