Police in Helsinki center during May Day celebrations. Photo: Mikko Stig / Str / Lehtikuva
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Police in Helsinki evacuated Kaivopuisto park late on May Day Eve after multiple reports of assaults and disorder. The operation began shortly after 10 p.m. and was completed by 11:30 p.m., according to the Helsinki Police Department.
Authorities cited threats to public safety and general order as the reason for the evacuation. Large crowds had gathered in the park to celebrate Vappu, or May Day, a traditional spring festival.
Police estimated several thousand people were present at the time of the evacuation, many of them intoxicated youths.
Officers reported the reckless use of fireworks and noted several incidents involving physical violence. The situation resembled previous years, with similar disturbances also prompting a clearance of the park in 2024.
“The aim is to keep Kaivopuisto mostly empty through the night,” the police stated. The park will reopen to the public on the morning of 1 May for further celebrations.
The clearance operation, which took nearly two hours, is part of standard police response during high-activity periods such as Vappu and New Year’s Eve. These holidays are typically among the busiest times of the year for law enforcement in Helsinki.
The evacuation follows a pattern seen in recent years, where celebrations in Kaivopuisto have escalated into unsafe conditions, especially involving underage drinking and crowd disturbances. Despite the repeated incidents, the area remains a popular site for public gatherings during national festivities.
HT
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Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi
