Oulu Anti-Racism Support Centre is preparing to open this autumn in response to a series of racially motivated attacks that shook the city and drew national attention. The initiative marks a historic first in Finland, offering targeted support for victims of racism in the city of Oulu.
The upcoming facility will become the first of its kind in Finland. It is part of a wider two-year anti-racism initiative, which was approved by the city council earlier this year. The programme secured 1.2 million euros in support from the European Social Fund Plus and is being implemented under the watch of Finland’s Ministry of Justice.
Planning for the Oulu Anti-Racism Support Centre began in April. According to Ari Heikkinen, the city’s administrative chief, preparation is on track. Once open, the centre will serve as a safe and accessible space for those affected by racism, offering counselling, legal assistance, and a direct line for reporting incidents.
Oulu Anti-Racism Support Centre to Promote Trust and Safety
Heikkinen stressed that the goal of the centre is to rebuild trust and create a stronger sense of safety for residents of all backgrounds. He admitted that while trust may sound like an abstract target, it lies at the heart of community healing.
In addition to the support centre, the programme will include mandatory anti-racism training for all municipal employees.
The project follows a disturbing pattern of racist violence in 2023. In three separate incidents, individuals of foreign background were attacked with knives. Two of those cases happened in quick succession at the Valkea shopping centre. One attacker was a known neo-Nazi, the other a 15-year-old boy. Both were later declared not criminally responsible.
One of the most widely covered incidents involved a 12-year-old who was stabbed by Juhani Sebastian Lämsä. He attempted to stab a second child in the same attack. Days later, a copycat assault occurred. In both cases, the victims survived, though one adult victim later shared with national broadcaster Yle that the trauma left him unable to return to work.
A third incident occurred in September when another underage foreign-background victim was targeted. That case went to court in December and resulted in a court-mandated psychiatric evaluation of the accused.
As the city pushes forward, its efforts are being closely monitored by national government bodies. In a notable move, all coalition party leaders and several ministers took part in a one-hour anti-racism training session. This comes amid public backlash over past racist comments made by some members of the Finns Party.
In May, Oulu officially joined the European Coalition of Cities against Racism, a network supported by Unesco. As part of its membership, Oulu has committed to sharing transparent reports on its progress in fighting racism.
Though officials agree racism cannot be erased overnight, the hope is that this new support centre and programme will at least help reduce violent incidents and restore a sense of safety for everyone living in Oulu.
Heikkinen put it plainly: “We may not be able to end racism entirely, but we can make Oulu a safer, more welcoming city for all.”
