Bats, pipes & hotheads: Finns clash with migrants in massive fight
A massive fight ensued between Finnish citizens and migrants in the town of Forssa, located in southern part of the country. A total of around 100 people armed with bats and pipes were involved in the clashes in front of a local migrant center.
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Finns reportedly attacked the migrants first on Tuesday evening, according to media reports. The latest clashes come amid a growing number of fights between the locals and the migrants over a new migrant center that was built in Forssa.
Witnesses described a large group of locals gathering by the migration center. The group began to fight the migrants, who are living in the center, Finnish Broadcasting Company YLE reported.
Both groups used weapons such as bats and pipes, police said. A total of five people were reportedly injured and two of the participants were detained, according to the YLE.
Police are encouraging more people involved in the fight to come forward.
According to the officers, around 100 people were involved in the fight. However, the exact number is unclear, as both groups have cleared out before police arrived.
“I hope that everyone who has received some injury will notify the police,” YLE quoted Tomi Repo from Forssa police as saying. “Police are only aware of a very small number of injuries, but I believe that there are more.”
The local municipality is working to set up a committee that would try to solve the recent wave of violence in the town.
“I hope that people understand that violence and these kinds of attacks are always wrong, on both sides, and nobody joins in with them,” said Kaisa Lepola, chair of the town council's board.
Another version of the story that is floating online describes two migrants, who were seeking shelter, attack a 15-year-old Finnish boy first. In response, the locals reportedly gathered in front of the migration center as part of a revenge plot.
Two videos were posted on YouTube titled ‘Forssa: migrants attack Finns!’
One video shows migrants holding objects like bats and pipes and locals drive by in a car. People are seen running away in the video. The second video shows people fighting in a parking lot in front of the migrant center.
Meanwhile, locals have organized a protest Thursday, where they plan to decry welcoming more migrants.
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