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Finland's top cop says violence by organisations must end

Finland's commissioner of police says violent behaviour carried out by organisations must be stopped. Police Commissioner Seppo Kolehmainen made the comments just days after a man died, which the victim's father says were due to injuries he received a week earlier, in a confrontation with members of a neo-Nazi group which was holding a public demonstration in downtown Helsinki. Police now confirm they have detained a member of the neo-Nazi group the Finnish Resistance Movement in connection with the crime.

Poliisiylijohtaja Seppo Kolehmainen
Police Commissioner Seppo Kolehmainen. Image: Jarno Kuusinen / AOP

Police Commissioner Seppo Kolehmainen has called for the end to the use of violence by organisations.

He said however that outright banning groups would be problematic because even if they were officially disbanded, members could continue their activities independently.

"It is the violent behaviour that must be stopped," Kolehmainen said. "Violent threats are included in this. It is vital that illegal activities are addressed."

Kolehmainen's comments on Sunday came as his department continues to investigate the death of a 28-year-old man.

Railway station aggravated homicide investigation

On Sunday afternoon (September 18) Helsinki Police said that they had detained a man born in 1990 in connection with the case.

The suspect is allegedly a member of the right wing extremist group the Finnish Resistance Movement and is suspected of assault and aggravated homicide, according to police.

The father of the victim has been very vocal about his son's death, and claims that his son died from complications of injuries he suffered during the confrontation outside Helsinki Central Railway Station, where members of the FRM were demonstrating on September 10.

The preliminary investigation continues, police said.

UPDATE September 18, 2016, 6:14 pm: Changes to this story were made to reflect that the suspect police detained is a member of the FRM.