Skinheads in Joensuu
Problems, Effects and Solutions
Riga 21.11.2008
Jukka Walling
Sergeant
Police Department of Joensuu
The problem arises
• First refugees appeared in Joensuu from
Vietnam at the end of 1980s and almost at
the same time appeared also the
skinheads.
• In 1992 and 1993 the young refugees from
Somalia and the skinheads had several
clashes althrough the year. Even the Red
Cross Refugee Center was attacked.
© Jukka Walling
Police Department of Joensuu
2
21.11.2008
Police and Media
• These incidents were investigated and
prosecuted in a normal way.
• The police increased and directed the control
over Public Safety and Security in town.
• Media´s interest woke up, even
internationally.
• Some local media accused police for not
being neutral but acting for skinheads` favour.
© Jukka Walling
Police Department of Joensuu
3
21.11.2008
Effects
• In 1994 police organized negotiations
between Skin and Somalis. An agreement
was made to stop the violence
• In 1995 the violence still continued. An
American baskeballplayer was beaten up by
skinheads and left Joensuu. This case was
widely noticed in the International Media.
• Joensuu got a bad reputation, tourists and
travellers evaded visiting town.
© Jukka Walling
Police Department of Joensuu
4
21.11.2008
Solutions
• In 1996 a special ”Against racism”program was created by the Police.
• A position of a Tolerance Instructor was
also created. An immigrant, Mrs. Melody
Karvonen was appointed to the task.
• Her job was to arrange training and
information occasions in schools, working
societys and also among foreigners.
© Jukka Walling
Police Department of Joensuu
5
21.11.2008
Solutions
• In April 1996 the Police and the Social sector
increased co-operation: a police officer and a
social worker formed a pair to work together
to control and prevent violence among the
skinheads, immigrants and refugees.
• This was the predecessor of the Youth Team.
• As a result of these actions the statistics
finally indicated major decrease of racist
crimes.
BUT!!!
© Jukka Walling
Police Department of Joensuu
6
21.11.2008
Final try of The Skins
• The skinheads organized themselves as a
movement. They started to attack randomly
and assault even local citizens. Even police
officers were threatened. The skinheads tried
to recruit young males to join them. They
used Molotov Coctail type devices to burn
down immigrants´cars.
• Good-looking situation was rapidly getting
worse!
© Jukka Walling
Police Department of Joensuu
7
21.11.2008
Final solution
Police had to act
• Skinheads` Headquarters were raided,
searchs and seizures were performed.
• Several persons were arrested and accused
of racist crimes and violence.
• The investigation took several months.
• Because of their previous crimes and heavy
accusations, major sentences were given to
them.
© Jukka Walling
Police Department of Joensuu
8
21.11.2008
A violent era ends
• The big raid and investigation were the
beginning of the end for the skinhead
movement in Joensuu.
• All this time the ”Against racism” –programme
was on-going.
• Racist crimes were investigated with special
care and sentenced more severely.
• Finally, the whole society was against skinheads.
© Jukka Walling
Police Department of Joensuu
9
21.11.2008
What could have been done
differently?
• At first, nobody in the society knew how to
react. Both the refugees and the skin-heads
were a new thing.
• At first, the sentences given at Court were too
light, mainly conditional sentences.
• The police did not act enough in a preventive
way. We waited for something to happen,
then investigated.
• Police was accused by Media, for sure it did
not make our job any easier.
© Jukka Walling
Police Department of Joensuu
10
21.11.2008