Crime

Third Defamation Charge Filed in Racist Abuse Case Against Finland’s 2024 Lucia Maiden

A third charge has been filed for the defamation of Daniela Owusu, Finland’s 2024 Lucia maiden, following a wave of racist abuse directed at her on social media. The charge was brought against an 83-year-old man in the Helsinki District Court, with the suspected offences occurring between 15 November and 14 December 2024—primarily before Owusu’s selection as Lucia was publicly announced (Yle).

The case marks the third defamation charge related to the abuse of Owusu, with no further prosecutions currently under consideration. During the police investigation, three individuals were identified as having sent racist messages on platforms including TikTok and the Ylilauta online forum (Ilta-Sanomat).

Owusu faced a barrage of hateful messages in December 2024, receiving over a hundred racist comments and private messages, while thousands more were posted publicly. The abuse also extended to her close associates (Yle).

Previous Charges and Court Proceedings

Two earlier charges have been filed in connection with the case. The first was against a 70-year-old man from Helsinki, whose trial is scheduled for March 2027 in the Helsinki District Court. The second involves a 37-year-old man from Lahti, who will appear in the Päijät-Häme District Court in September. In both cases, prosecutors allege the offences occurred on a single day—16 December 2024 (Yle, Ilta-Sanomat).

The police investigation reviewed content from multiple online platforms, including Ylilauta and TikTok, as part of the preliminary inquiry (Ilta-Sanomat). Svenska Yle first reported the filing of the third charge.

Sources:

Vuosaari youth group’s violent incidents decline but new aggravated assault reported

A group of primary school-aged girls in Helsinki’s Vuosaari district, which sparked public concern last spring, has seen a reduction in reported crimes over the summer, though one of its members was involved in an alleged aggravated assault in July. Police and city youth services describe the situation

Strong winds and heavy rain hit Southern and Eastern Finland, with localized flooding and improving weather ahead

Strong winds and heavy rainfall swept across Southern and Eastern Finland over the weekend, bringing risks of fallen trees, power outages, and localized flooding. The Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI) issued wind warnings for land areas in the south and east, with gusts intensifying to over 15 meters per second on

Tuition fees reduce number of new international students in Finnish upper secondary and vocational schools

The introduction of tuition fees for students from outside the EU and EEA has led to a decline in new international enrolments in Finnish upper secondary schools and vocational institutions this autumn. While the full impact of the legislative change remains uncertain, early reports indicate a sharp drop in applications,

Fatal Assault in Joensuu Leads to Arrests and Custody

A 60-year-old man from Joensuu died on Wednesday following a violent assault at a private residence in the city’s Rantakylä district. Emergency services were alerted to the incident in the afternoon, and despite resuscitation attempts by police and paramedics, the victim succumbed to his injuries while being