FINNISH GOV’T TO PROBE COPS FOR DISPERSING PROTESTERS

Interior minister Maria Ohisalo (Green) has said that she is currently reviewing an initial report on police actions during a climate demonstration that took place in downtown Helsinki, the Finnish news agency Yle reported.

The report centered on police use of force -- including the use of pepper spray -- to disperse protesters who had blocked a street in the capital.

"Was police use of force during the Extinction Rebellion [Elokapina] today proportionate? We have received an initial report on the matter and it is being reviewed. The use of force must always be a last resort and there must be compelling reasons for it," Ohisalo tweeted on Saturday evening. "These actions must be evaluated and guidelines must be updated if needed. It is also always good to explain the reasons for the use of force. Ultimately, police actions are supervised by the Parliamentary Ombudsman," she added in a follow-up tweet.

The minister’s intervention via Twitter followed a situation in which police said that they dispersed dozens of Extinction Rebellion climate protesters who had blocked a street in downtown Helsinki early Saturday evening. The demonstration took place at the intersection of Kaisaniemenkatu and Unionkatu. Several police patrols responded to the protest, which called for action on climate change.