On December 6th, renowned Finnish politician Paavo Väyrynen was physically assaulted in downtown Helsinki as he was making his way home from the hairdressers. This incident occurred at approximately 11:30 AM on Independence Day, when Väyrynen was near Makkaratalo on Keskuskatu.
According to Väyrynen’s account, the attack began when he found himself near a loud group of individuals. One man from this group broke away and knocked Väyrynen to the ground. "There was this noisy group, from which one man separated and attacked me, knocking me to the ground," he explained shortly after the incident.
The long-time member of the Centre Party reported some minor injuries to his knee but did not seek immediate medical attention. He stated, "My trousers got torn, and I sustained bruises on my knee. I didn't go to the doctor; I treated the injury myself." Initially, Väyrynen did not contact the police following the incident. It was only after hearing about the assault on fellow politician Krista Kiuru, which was reported shortly afterwards, did he reconsider his decision, thinking there might be similarities between the two attacks.
Following the advice of friends and reflecting on the timing of his attack, he contacted police to investigate whether his assailant could be the same man who assaulted Kiuru. Upon reviewing surveillance recordings, police confirmed the attacker was, in fact, not the same individual linked to Kiuru's incident, which had happened just days before.
Leena Karhumäki, communication chief of the Helsinki Police, stated to STT, "A report has been filed about the assault on Keskuskatu, and the investigation is underway." She did not identify Väyrynen directly, but confirmed the nature of the report. Meanwhile, the deputy director of the investigation, crime commissioner Toni Uusikivi, provided insight stating, "This type of incident can be confirmed to be under investigation." Uusikivi added, "Such reassuring messaging—I can say there’s not one person randomly assaulting people. We have confirmation there are distinct individuals involved.”
Despite having sustained injuries, Väyrynen felt no immediate threat from others and reported not recognizing the individual who attacked him, stating, "I don’t recall if the man shouted or said anything to indicate the attack might have been politically motivated. Somehow, I did get the impression he recognized me as a public figure, but no definitive statements were made during the attack.”
Väyrynen attended the Independence Day festivities later the same evening with his wife, Vuokko Väyrynen, but could not shake off the incident from his thoughts. The unsettling experience has stirred discussions around public safety, especially for politicians and other public figures within the country.
Väyrynen’s incident, paired with Kiuru's earlier assault, has highlighted growing concerns about the safety of political figures, leading to more alerts within the Finnish political environment. This incident serves not only as a reminder of the potential dangers faced by those in the public eye, but also about the importance of requesting police assistance when necessary.
While the investigation is still open, both Väyrynen and police representatives have assured the public about their commitment to addressing violence effectively, emphasizing the careful handling of this matter as inquiries continue.
The police have garnered initial evidence and identified the assailant, yet the exact motivations for the attack remain unclear. For now, Väyrynen is focusing on recovery from his injuries and reflecting on the events of the day, hoping for justice to be served.
