The difference between protests for and against diversity

[Askold]

I already talked about the speech by Immonen, a Finnish politician, which seemed to incite a race war... It has caused quite an upheaval in Finland as the True Finns (Immonen's party) has made a massive whitewash operation on media but meanwhile people who aren't racists staged a protest against the speech and to generally show that most Finnish people aren't racists.

http://yle.fi/uutiset/diversity_rally_gathers_15000_in_helsinki/8188896

15'000 people might seem like a small number but considering that the pro-nationalist anti-immigration group only got 40 people into their protest it is pretty good. Also, unlike the latter protest this one did not see three quarters of the protestors arrested for assaulting people, causing damages and resisting arrest.

http://yle.fi/uutiset/national_socialist_group_riots_in_jyvaskyla__dozens_arrested/8197496

Also, unlike what the article implies the victims weren't some random bystander. One of the victims was the same person who got stabbed during the "library scuffle in 2013" by the same nationalist organization that formed the core of these protestors. In fact, that story is mentioned in the Yle article but unlike the Finnish language version it does not mention that when the mob approach the man one of them gave a signal and all 40 of them charged at the victim and attacked them.

Another difference with the Finnish version articles is that the Finnish articles about the pro-diversity protest usually give 50% of the attention to the fact that a member of the True Finns asked to speek at the rally and people booed at him. They didn't attack him, they didn't throw stuff, they even let him talk and had an interview with him but news try to make it as if someone defending race war speech getting booed is as bad as making a speech promoting race war.

Even other parties are involved as a politician of SDP defended neo-nazi vigilantees patrolling the streets of Finland. ( http://www.kansanuutiset.fi/uutiset/kotimaa/3408442/demarien-valtuutettu-tukee-uusnatsien-katupartioita-kalevassa-natsismi-ei-saa-olla-esteena )  And a) I am not exaggerating anything about this b) that particular vigilante group is openly neo-nazi, they say it themselves c) Once again we are talking about the same group that stabbed people in 2013 and was part of the riot mentioned earlier here. But according to Halonen the fact that someone just happens to be a nazi doesn't mean that we should judge them and that these street patrols are having a great preventive effect on crime...

[Ultimate Paragon]

If I were Finnish, I'd keep an eye on these developments.  It never hurts to be wary.

[SCarpelan]

The group is a part of a Nordic neo-nazi network that is organized mainly from Sweden and is also reaching into the Baltic countries. Two of the people arrested are Swedish citizens and the police says they or their presence was a big reason the situation became violent despite them not actively giving any orders. Apparently the Finnish group wanted to prove the visitors that they are dedicated to the cause.

By the way, this happened where I live and I walked past the group about an hour and a half before things got violent. At that point they were just giving out fliers and engaging willing passers-by in discussions about racial separation. There is an anti-racism protest planned for tomorrow here as a reaction to the incident and I'm probably going there to check it out and perhaps even participate depending on how the thing is organized.

Edition:

[niam2023]

As long as they do not form an alliance with an immortal caveman named Vandal, we can probably count on increased real police presence and a crackdown on any illegal activities they have, as well as Al Capone Take Down Methods.

[Askold]

SUPO (The FBI&CIA of Finland) has offered some calming words: "People have no reason to be afraid about these neo-nazis since all their attacks seem to have been directed at minorities or their political enemies."

...So as long as you don't belong to any kind of minority or aren't opposed to neo-nazis they won't harm you and there is no need for panic?

Honestly, it does seem like the statement was simply very poorly worded and was meant to calm down tourists and citizens but this really is an example of why someone should proof read these kinds of statements before you go on air.

[Sigmaleph]

I kind of assumed everyone who had any political ideology other than neo-nazi or some flavour of white nationalism or fascism, etc. was a political enemy of neo-nazis. They don't really form coalitions with mainstream parties.

[Lt. Fred]

They should be treated as a potential terrorist group. Nazis are the same the world over. They will kill if given the opportunity.