Vandalism at Karmarock Festival Site Leaves Park Contaminated with Waste
Several portable toilets at the Karmarock music festival in Harjavalta were toppled overnight between Sunday and Monday, spreading excrement across a nearby park area. The incident occurred after the festival’s conclusion and the departure of volunteers, leaving the site contaminated.
According to Helsingin Sanomat, around ten of the approximately 30 portable toilets at the festival grounds were knocked over, releasing waste into the environment near Harjavalta School. The affected area includes a disc golf course and a pesäpallo field along the shore of the Kokemäenjoki River. Service Manager Joni Kukkula from the City of Harjavalta confirmed that a vacuum truck cleaned the site on Monday, though some odor may persist. The city has advised residents to avoid the area and will issue a bulletin about the incident. A police report has been filed.
Festival Director Häiriö Piiroinen expressed dismay over the vandalism, calling it "unbearable behavior" and emphasizing that damaging the environment was "the stupidest thing one can do." He noted that while the festival was dismantled by Sunday evening, the portable toilets remained on-site awaiting collection. Piiroinen clarified that responsibility for the land lies with the city, while damages to the toilets fall under the rental company’s jurisdiction. He also regretted that the incident would be associated with Karmarock in public perception.
Ilta-Sanomat reports that Satakunnan Kansa Länsi-Suomi first covered the incident, noting that nearly all the portable toilets at the Harjavalta Training Center were knocked over. Karmarock ry, the organizing association, has contacted the police, the toilet rental company, the city, and its insurance provider, urging affected parties to file police reports.
The vandalism follows another recent incident in Joutseno, where 108 headstones were knocked over at a cemetery, as previously reported by Ilta-Sanomat. While the headstones remained intact, temporary crosses were torn off and scattered, and repairs were expected to take several days. Police investigated that case as well.