Hundreds Demand a Stop to the Deportation of a Family of Seven Children to Iraq in the Small City of Loviisa

 

Video: Tony Öhberg for Finland Today

Afamily of seven children was about to be deported from Finland to Iraq. Three of the family’s youngest children have been born in Finland.

Then the small city of Loviisa in the southern region of the country, where the family moved two and a half years ago, stepped in.

Mayor of Loviisa Jan D. Oker-Blom expressed his objection to the deportation in a public statement together with the city council.

Now their deportation is to be re-evaluated by the court.

Today hundreds of people protested against the family’s deportation in the Loviisa’s Market Square.

“I’ve never seen so many people here. Not even during the Christmas market,” said Sanni, 40, who had moved to Loviisa from Helsinki.

Politicians such as MP Ville Niinistö, the former Green’s chair and the minister of the environment, visited the event.

Read the full story and analysis on deportations of asylum seekers in Finland Today Originals newsletter on Tuesday morning.