Caught red-handed 'graffiti', deputy mayor of Finnish capital could lose job

Mr. Paavo Arhinmäki, Deputy Mayor of Helsinki

The Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency told public broadcaster YLE on June 28 that removing the illegal graffiti, which was painted by Paavo Arhinmäki, one of Helsinki's four deputy mayors, cost the city around 3,500 euros.

Arhinmäki, 46, and a friend were caught red-handed shortly after they completed their graffiti in a railway tunnel east of Helsinki on June 23. Finnish street art experts say the work appears to have been partly inspired by works in New York City in the 1970s.

Finland's largest newspaper, Helsingin Sanomat , posted a photo of the large-scale graffiti on Twitter.

Graffiti by Mr. Arhinmäki

HELSINGIN SANOMAT SCREENSHOT

In a Facebook post on June 25, Arhinmäki, a former lawmaker and chairman of the Left Alliance party and Finland’s culture and sports minister from 2011 to 2014, apologized for his “stupid joke,” according to the AP.

Police are investigating the incident as an act of sabotage and interference with rail traffic, which has been suspended due to the incident. The tunnel is used by freight trains to and from the port of Helsinki.

It is not yet clear whether Mr Arhinmäki will face legal charges.

"I have committed a crime and I take full responsibility for it," Mr. Arhinmäki told YLE on June 26. But he has not agreed to resign as deputy mayor or leave his position on the Helsinki City Council, where the Left Alliance party is supporting him.

The incident has sparked an uproar and debate among Helsinki residents on social media, with most expressing condemnation but also some strong support for the actions of the deputy mayor in charge of culture and leisure in Helsinki, a city of 650,000 people.

The Finnish capital spends around €650,000 a year to remove illegal graffiti across the city and is looking to add banned sites for street art.

Source link: https://thanhnien.vn/bi-bat-qua-tang-ve-bay-pho-thi-truong-thu-do-phan-lan-co-the-mat-chuc-185230629142506071.htm