Images from “the Helsinki Without nazis” counter-demonstration. (Helsinki Ilman natseja)

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Every Independence Day, December 6, there has been a far-right march called 612. As the general political climate has shifted to the right, the media coverage of this far-right march has also changed. Well, as far as I know, every year someone defends the 612 march as just patriotic, even though the media has still managed to show clear symbols of fascism, nazism and racism. But this year the mainstream media called the 612 march merely a patriotic demonstration. Helsinki without Nazis is a countermeasure to this march. No Nazis in Helsinki, no Nazis anywhere!

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The atmosphere was peaceful, but obviously charged. The amount of police forces were crazy. police parricades kept everyone far away from the far-right march. They surrounded our peaceful demonstration and did not let anyone leave the area. My friends couldn’t get home since the police had blocked the street. I heard that in the far-right march there were 700 people and in Helsinki ilman natseja around 2000-3000. Even though we couldn’t block the 612 march, the symbolic statement is strong.

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