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Finland's government plagued by new scandal on eve of Biden visit

July 11, 2023
Finland's new Prime Minister Petteri Orpo (R) and his new Finance Minister Riikka Purra hold a press conference in Helsinki, Finland on June 20
Finland's new Prime Minister Petteri Orpo (R) and his new Finance Minister Riikka Purra hold a press conference in Helsinki, Finland on June 20

HELSINKI — Finland's right-wing government is facing yet another crisis after old comments from a far-right blog forum, purportedly written by Finns Party leader Riikka Purra, re-surfaced.

The author of the posts writes anti-Islamic and violent comments, among others, and disparages immigrants including Somalis and "Turkish monkeys".

Purra, Finland's finance minister, leads one of the four parties which make up the coalition government headed by Prime Minister Petteri Orpo of the National Coalition Party.

In recent days Finnish media and social media users have matched details of Riikka Purra's life including her upbringing, where she lived, occupation, age, husband's job, studies, favorite foods and travel schedules with a woman called 'riikka' who posted the comments mostly during 2008.

"Greetings from Barcelona," wrote 'riikka', on the same day in August that Riikka Purra was also in Barcelona speaking at a conference on multiculturalism.

"There is no 'alarming immigration problem' to be seen here. Negroes sell pirate Vuittons on Las Ramblas," she blogged.

"Oh, it was wonderful civil racism again today on the ground floor of McDonald's, when our little boy ate Happy Meal Nuggets, and at the neighbouring table a Somali family with a BMI [body mass index] +30 ate their own," 'riikka' wrote in June 2008.

"Do you know what 'the reeds rustle' means?" 'riikka' asked her readers in January 2008.

"Well, that's the sound these darker male characters make when they approach/pass by/in the escalator/elevator/wherever. It's not whistling (that would be too obvious) but a f****** hiss between the teeth - the more eager Abdullah is, the more saliva comes with it."

"Netsit," wrote 'riikka' in July 2008, a nickname for anti-immigration netizens which is also a play on the Finnish word for Nazis.

"Is anyone up for spitting on beggars and beating n****r children today in Helsinki?," she asked. — Euronews


July 11, 2023
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