Massive demonstrations in support of multiculturalism take place in Finland

Demonstrations in support of multiculturalism took place in several Finnish cities on Tuesday, as a nation-wide debate was ongoing over an ultranationalist statement written by a Member of Parliament.

The largest gathering took place in downtown Helsinki around 5 pm local time, and it was said to have attracted some 15,000 participants.

"Do not hate" was one of the slogans carried by balloons. Many immigrants were seen among the crowds, who held two-sided flags showing their original countries and the host country Finland.

The events were arranged as a reaction to a social media post late last week by the populist Finns Party's MP Olli Immonen endorsing the "fight" for a "true Finnish nation".

In a message read out at the gathering in Helsinki, Finnish President Sauli Niinisto said the cohesion of the society does not mean making people similar, but understanding and respecting others.

The president also urged restraint. He said "we need dispassionate and factual discussion of the problems that both the immigrants and the nation receiving them are facing".

Prime Minister Juha Sipila praised the initiative of the private citizens who arranged the gatherings. In a message on the official internet website of the government, Sipila said immigrants have enriched Finland and contributed to its economy.

Addressing the gathering in Helsinki, former Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja said he was concerned about the impact of the international image of Finland. He said he joined the event because "one of the parties of the current government" labeled Finland as intolerant.

He did not mention the Finns Party by name. "Finland should not accept Members of Parliament fraternizing with people with neo-Nazist ideologies," Tuomioja said.

The most intense moment came when the editor of the newspaper of the Finns Party Matias Turkkila appeared on stage. He is known as one of the founders of a website that had a key role in making anti-immigration attitudes a social force in Finland.

Turkkila said he was not backing racism, but his speech was met with heckling about fascism.

All members of the Finnish national basket ball team appeared on the stage too. The team has several players of foreign origin.

Smaller demonstrations were arranged in Tampere and Oulu.

Olli Immonen, the man in the centre of the controversy, announced in social media that he was heading for a holiday in southern hemisphere. He did not indicate whether he would attend the Finns Party convention scheduled for early August. Endit