The Ripper
03-17-2011, 09:55 PM
http://yle.fi/ecepic/archive/00391/KUVA2_391722b.jpg
A Lahti City Councillor is concerned about racist statements made around the upcoming general election. Alettin Basboga believes that anti-immigration attitudes are increasing insecurity for people living in Finland who have a foreign background.
The 38-year-old was born in Turkey and moved to Finland in 1991. He now runs a pizzeria in the southern Finnish town of Lahti, where he was the victim of a racist attack on Wednesday. Basbogan says that three men came to the restaurant and began making Hitler salutes before asking why the restaurant had not already been burned down.
They then pulled out a gun, which fortunately turned out to be just a starting pistol. Basbogan says that he has not previously experienced anything like Wednesday’s incident, despite running a business in the Tontila district for over a decade.
“Someone tried to burn the place down at the end of the 90’s, but after that there hasn’t been any big vandalism or incidents until this one,” says Basboga. “Me and my employees have felt safe in Tontila.”
Bosbaga, who has served as a Social Democrat councilor in Lahti since 2004, says that the anti-immigration rhetoric employed by some candidates and parties ahead of the election next month is dangerous.
“There is and should be free speech in Finland, and I don’t want to stigmatise any parties, but people should talk about immigration in such a way that nobody is harmed,” warns Bosbagan. “Some want to make statements just to get publicity.”
Police are looking for three men in connection with Wednesday's incident, and have published stills taken from the pizzeria's security cameras, shown at the top of this article. Päijät Häme police can be contacted on 050 456 4312.
YLE
YLE News (http://yle.fi/uutiset/news/2011/03/pizzeria_attack_victim_concerned_about_racist_elec tioneering_2443017.html)
The opponents of the True Finns must be disappointed that no one was harmed, but I guess this is better than nothing. :coffee:
A Lahti City Councillor is concerned about racist statements made around the upcoming general election. Alettin Basboga believes that anti-immigration attitudes are increasing insecurity for people living in Finland who have a foreign background.
The 38-year-old was born in Turkey and moved to Finland in 1991. He now runs a pizzeria in the southern Finnish town of Lahti, where he was the victim of a racist attack on Wednesday. Basbogan says that three men came to the restaurant and began making Hitler salutes before asking why the restaurant had not already been burned down.
They then pulled out a gun, which fortunately turned out to be just a starting pistol. Basbogan says that he has not previously experienced anything like Wednesday’s incident, despite running a business in the Tontila district for over a decade.
“Someone tried to burn the place down at the end of the 90’s, but after that there hasn’t been any big vandalism or incidents until this one,” says Basboga. “Me and my employees have felt safe in Tontila.”
Bosbaga, who has served as a Social Democrat councilor in Lahti since 2004, says that the anti-immigration rhetoric employed by some candidates and parties ahead of the election next month is dangerous.
“There is and should be free speech in Finland, and I don’t want to stigmatise any parties, but people should talk about immigration in such a way that nobody is harmed,” warns Bosbagan. “Some want to make statements just to get publicity.”
Police are looking for three men in connection with Wednesday's incident, and have published stills taken from the pizzeria's security cameras, shown at the top of this article. Päijät Häme police can be contacted on 050 456 4312.
YLE
YLE News (http://yle.fi/uutiset/news/2011/03/pizzeria_attack_victim_concerned_about_racist_elec tioneering_2443017.html)
The opponents of the True Finns must be disappointed that no one was harmed, but I guess this is better than nothing. :coffee: