Officials on Monday reported a disturbance at the Joutseno Reception Centre for asylum seekers in eastern Finland. They say that on Friday some 20-30 people who had received deportation orders tried to assault another asylum seeker.
This individual was being transferred to another centre in a car when the group attached the vehicle.
Reception Centre Director Jari Kähkönen describes the situation as “threatening”. Several police patrols were called to the scene to restore calm.
Kähkönen says the attackers were failed asylum seekers who are to be deported in late September. There are about 100 people at the facility who have received deportation orders.
The director told Yle on Monday that the atmosphere at the centre remains restless. An extra security guard has been hired, as the 300-bed facility is packed to capacity – as most of the others around the country. This year Finland has received the largest influx of asylum seekers since the all-time peak year of 1993.