Vaasa riot
| Vaasa riot | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Political violence in Finland (1918–1932) | |||
Members of the Lapua Movement assault Eino Nieminen, the publisher of the left-wing Työn Ääni newspaper, in the Vaasa riot | |||
| Date | 4 June 1930 | ||
| Location | |||
| Parties | |||
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| Casualties | |||
| Death | 0 | ||
| Injuries | 0 | ||
| Outcome | The Lapua Movement kidnaps Asser Salo, and begins engaging in more political violence | ||
The Vaasa riot took place on 4 June 1930 in Vaasa, Finland, when members of the far-right, anti-communist, fascist Lapua Movement violently attacked communist supporters and bystanders at a courthouse in Vaasa. Police did not intervene in the attack.
While there were no fatalities or serious injuries during the attack outside the courthouse, members of the Lapua Movement kidnapped Asser Salo, a Finnish member of Parliament, who they later violently beat before releasing.
In the aftermath of the riot, the Finnish government blamed the attack on social democrats and ethnic Swedes, passed several anti-communist laws, and met with leadership of the Lapua Movement. The Vaasa riot signaled the defeat of moderate elements in the Lapua Movement, who were widely believed to stand for non-violence and the rule of law. As more radical elements gained control over the Lapua Movement, it began to focus more on acts of violence and political terror in the following months.