Helsinki court freezes climate group assets Yle news
The Helsinki District Court has ordered the freezing of a total of EUR 20,000 of property belonging to the registered Elonvaalijat company, which organizes the operations of the Elokapina climate change movement.
Police filed a trial last week requesting the confiscation of the Group’s assets because they had reason to suspect a breach of the Fundraising Laws in two different situations, the first between 26 April 2021 and 18 June 2021 and the second on 15 September.
Vice-Chairman of the Survivor Lauri Kangassalo has previously told Yle that the climate group denies having committed the crime.
However, according to police, Elonvaalijat’s fundraising activities have violated section 6 of the Finnish Fundraising Act, according to which fundraising may not be used “to finance activities that clearly endanger public order or security or are illegal”.
Police allege that the group has raised money to fund the Elokapina demonstrations, which have led to the arrest of activists on suspicion of crimes such as causing a public obstruction, disobedience to the police and gross violations of the peace.
Police also suspect that the Survivors Association has exceeded the maximum number of fundraising notices required before public collections can be legally made.
Director of Investigation, Detective Superintendent Juha-Matti Suominen, has previously refused to say which of the association ‘s representatives are under investigation.
Confiscation of property is a standard procedure in the investigation of suspected crimes, as it is intended to ensure that, if a crime is proven, all proceeds of crime can be confiscated.
If the Survivors are found guilty in court of violating the Fundraising Act, the punishment would be a fine.
The Helsinki Police Department has already admitted that they did not make an accurate assessment security feedback caused by a climate man held outside the government palace last week and that there were other failures in communicating the events.
The Police Board has initiated an internal investigation demonstration-related events.
Elokapina is an activist group that has organized demonstrations to pressure the government to declare a climate emergency in Finland. It has streets in Helsinki during several demonstrations to draw attention to its calls for action to combat climate change.