Finland reports record hate crimes in 2025
Data from the country’s Police University College, cited by broadcaster, shows that suspected hate crime cases have steadily increased each year since around 2020, primarily involving verbal insults, threats, and harassment. This year, police recorded a total of 1,808 suspected hate crimes, marking a 13% rise compared to 2023.
The report indicates that most of these incidents were racially motivated, with nearly 70% targeting individuals based on ethnicity or nationality. The Police University College noted: “The Finnish Criminal Code does not include the criminal categories of hate crime or hate speech, but hate motive is a basis for increasing the punishment. Therefore, any act that is defined by legislation as a crime can be a hate crime.”
Researcher Jenita Rauta highlighted that victims’ disability, sexual orientation, or religious background were also factors in reported hate crimes. She added, “The trend is concerning. In my opinion, the increase in hate crimes against people with disabilities reflects, for example, a broader societal polarization in which those in vulnerable positions are targeted.”
The report identified Syrians living in Finland—primarily Muslims—as the most frequently targeted group, with a significant number of suspected crimes occurring online.
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