Police in Finland received 1,941 reports of suspected hate crimes last year, a 7% rise on the 2024 figure and a record for the third consecutive year, according to an annual report by the Police University College covered by Yle News. The number has more than doubled since 2020.
About 70% of cases were linked to the victim's ethnic or national background, a category that grew by 9%. Religion or belief and sexual orientation each accounted for just under a tenth of cases, and disability for just over 8%. The typical case involved a Finnish-born suspect, a racist motive and a public place. Researcher Jenita Rauta said the rise could reflect more offences, more reporting or better recognition of hate motives, but the data could not show which. The report also pointed to the influence of international conflicts, polarisation and online hate.
Source: Yle News