Vaasa riot
 | This articleis written like apersonal reflection, personal essay, or argumentative essaythat states a Wikipedia editor's personal feelings or presents an original argument about a topic.(May 2021) |
TheVaasa riottook place on 4 June 1930 inVaasa, Finland.The riot unfolded with a violent attack by radical members of the right wingLapua Movementon Communist supporters and bystanders at a court house in Vaasa. No intervention was witnessed of the police, as the police stood watching the attack.
There were no fatalities or serious injuries reported. However, in the aftermath of the attack, a Finnish member ofparliamentwas kidnapped, beaten and later released.[1]
The Vaasa riot signalled the defeat of moderate elements in the Lapua movement which is popularly believed to stand for non-violence andrule of law.As the radicals gained control over the movement, the movement saw promotion of violence andpolitical terrorlater that year.[2]
Background[edit]
On 15 March 1930, at the second National Assembly of the Lapua movement, the moderate wing tried to curb the radicals. At the end of the assembly, TheSuomen Lukkowas established, which called for opposition tocommunismthrough legal means. However, the association's activities could not contain the movement's radical followers fromOstrobothnia.
On 28 March, a group of radical Lapua supporters destroyed theprinting pressin Vassa of the communistTyön Äänimagazine.[3]Sensing no public backlash after the attacks, the radicals soon took public credit for it.Vihtori Kosola,who had not been one of the planners of the attack, but now set out to support it, became the figurehead of the movement. In the background, there was a struggle between the moderates, mainly fromHelsinki,and the radicals.
Seventy-two men stated that they had attacked theTyön Äänioffice and five men took responsibility for destroying the presses. In the organ of the Lapuan movement,Activist,650 men signed their support for the act. In a message published by Kosola, the Lapua movement proudly stated it was behind theTyön Ääniattack.[4]
Asser Salo,a lawyer and Communist MP filed alawsuiton behalf ofTyön Äänifor damages against the Lapua Movement and some of its members. The initial court date set for the trial was 7 May 7.
The Lapua Movement announced that it would state a demonstration at the court house that day. Esko Riekki, the head of the Detective Central Police (EK), warned the Government of Finland that the demonstration could turn violent. The government asked Lapua to cancel the demonstration, but it refused. In response, the government asked Lapua and the Communists not to bring support forces to the court house. To avoid creating a provocation, the government decided not to impose extra security measures.
On 7 May, when Salo arrived in Vaasa for the court hearing, a group of Lapua supporters attempted to kidnap him in theSeinäjokitrain station. In court that day, the hearing date was postposed until June 4th.
The demonstration[edit]
On the morning of 4 June, 1,800 supporters of the Lapua movement arrived in Vaasa early in the morning with cars decorated withFinnish flags.The procession of 200 cars stopped briefly at the destroyedTyön Äänioffice and the governor's official residence.
The group then stopped at a cemetery that contained graves of Lapua supporters. The men sang hymns and patriotic songs and listened to speeches that were given.[5][6]
The next stop that morning was theVaasa Court of Appeal,where the demonstration took place peacefully. However, many followers stayed at the courthouse into the afternoon to hear theverdicton the lawsuit.
Courthouse attacks[edit]
On the afternoon of 4 June, violence broke out at the courthouse after the verdict was read. A group of Lapua supporters beat Eino Nieminen, theTyön ÄäniFactor, who was invited as a witness.
In the foyer of the second floor of the courthouse, Eino Nieminen, got into an argument with several Lapua supporters. The argument heated up and the Lapua supporter took Eino outside, tore his clothes and beat him. The crowd followed theassaultfrom the sidelines and the police did not intervene.[7]
Vaasa Police Chief Gunnar Tallroth eventually rescued Nieminen and took him to the police station for safety. Soon after Nieminen left the police station, a crowd of Lapua supporters broke in and tried to find him.
The Lapua men beat up ten other leftist supporters, including Allan Asplund, a journalist for the Vaasa-basedSocial DemocraticmagazineNya Folkbladet.Several right-wing bystanders who tried to stop the violence were also injured by the attack.
The governor, Bruno Sarlin, came to the scene and tried to stop the violence, but was unsuccessful.[8]
Kidnapping of Asser Salo[edit]
When Salo stepped out of the courthouse after the verdict, a group of Lapua men forcible grabbed him and whisked him into a waiting car. The EK police could not stop the abduction. Kosti-Paavo Eerolainen, an EK detective present, later joined the radical wing of the Lapua movement.
Salo was taken to the Lapua's youth club house, where he was threatened with execution. He was forced to swear that he would never sue Lapua again. After this, the kidnappers took Lapua toViitasaari,where he was released.
Consequences of the Vaasa riot[edit]
After the riot, theFinnish Governmentsent in the military to patrol Vaasa. Due to threats from Lapua,Työn Äänendid not resume publication[9]
The inability of the state surprised all parties. The government was shocked as the Lapua movement had already been thought to have subsided. According to Governor Sarlin, 6,000–10,000 soldiers would be needed in Vaasa to contain the crowds. The Governor also believed that he had been threatened by the communists. The left-wing andSwedish-speaking press demanded that the perpetrators be punished. However, the government sided with the Lapua movement and accused the Social Democrats andSwedesof tying up their hands in the fight against communism. It was hoped that the movement could still be curbed by concessions and anti-communist legislative initiatives.[10]
However, the Lapuan movement had understood its own power. In Lapua, the so-called Lapua Law of June 5, 1930 was declared. In practice, the movement abandoned the authorities as the maintainer of order and declared itself above the laws and the judiciary.Vihtori Kosolamet movement's representatives on June 8. In Helsinki, both the head of the Defense Forces and the head of the Finnish General Staff, while the board, headed byKyösti Kallio,hesitated in their decisions. The control of Lapuan movement by the communists led to extreme use of violence, political terror, political pressure and influence to attain the goals of the movement.[11]
References[edit]
- ^Vares, Vesa & Uola, Mikko & Majander, Mikko: Kansanvalta koetuksella. Sarjassa Suomen eduskunta 100 vuotta, Osa 3. Helsinki: Edita, 2006. ISBN 9513745430.
- ^Niinistö, Jussi: Lapuan Liike – Kuvahistoria kansannoususta 1929–1932. Helsinki: NIMOX KY, 2003.
- ^Siltala, Juha: Lapuan liike ja kyyditykset 1930. Helsinki: Otava, 1985. ISBN 9511087169.
- ^Silvennoinen, Oula & Tikka, Marko & Roselius, Aapo: Suomalaiset fasistit: mustan sarastuksen airuet. Helsinki: WSOY, 2016. ISBN 9789510401323.
- ^Siltala 1985 s. 76
- ^Vaasalaisia - Vaasan mellakka ja Asser Salon kyyditys
- ^Siltala 1985 s.76-77
- ^Niinistö 2003, s. 10–137
- ^Siltala 1985 s.77-78
- ^Vares & Uola & Majander 2006
- ^Vares & Uola & Majander 2006