Elokapina’s Wildfire protest march proceeds along Mannerheimintie in Helsinki on 9 June 2025. The group has stated it will occupy the streets and remain there for several days. Photo: Markku Ulander / Lehtikuva
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Hundreds of climate activists disrupted central Helsinki on Monday as the group Elokapina launched a planned three-day protest aimed at halting traffic and pressuring the Finnish government on environmental policy.
By the afternoon, demonstrators had blocked key intersections including those at the Finnish National Opera and on Teollisuuskatu. Police ordered the demonstration outside the Opera to end shortly after it began, citing excessive disruption to public transport. Officers began removing protestors from the street and placing them in waiting buses.
Elokapina, the Finnish branch of Extinction Rebellion, said around 1,500 people had registered for the action. More than 400 said they were prepared to be detained. According to police, that figure would exceed the capacity of local detention facilities.
The protest march started at Senate Square and moved along Aleksanterinkatu toward Parliament. Police vehicles accompanied the procession, which included families and elderly participants. Protesters carried banners and chanted slogans such as “Cut emissions, bring down the government”.
A wooden church boat placed in the middle of the Mannerheimintie–Helsinginkatu intersection further disrupted traffic. Police removed it before 5 p.m. and advised drivers to avoid the area. Public buses including lines 59, 500, and 510 were delayed.
Chief Superintendent Jarmo Heinonen of Helsinki Police said authorities were prepared for mass detentions if necessary. “The goal of overwhelming police detention capacity is a strange one,” he told STT. “We’ll maintain public order and ensure legality.”
Police have warned that significant disruption could continue until Wednesday. They advised travellers in the city centre to allow for delays and use alternative routes.
Protesters on the Parliament House stairs. Photo: Markku Ulander / Lehtikuva
According to Elokapina, the goal of the action, titled “Wildfire Rebellion,” is to push the government to stop excessive logging, end environmentally harmful subsidies, and protect biodiversity. The group said the protest would continue regardless of police response.
Elokapina’s media spokesperson Ruut Nykänen confirmed the protest would include unannounced actions but declined to detail the group’s plans.
By late afternoon, traffic had resumed on parts of Helsinginkatu and Mannerheimintie, though disruptions remained. Police continued to monitor protest sites and said they may enforce further removals if demonstrations cause further obstruction.
The Finnish capital last saw large-scale Elokapina protests in 2023. This week’s demonstration has renewed debate about the limits of civil disobedience and the government’s response to environmental pressure.
HT
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Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi
