Estonia: Interior minister seeks police probe into response to brutal youth assault

Estonia's Interior Minister Igor Taro has called for a thorough internal investigation into the police's response to a violent assault on a teenage girl in Viimsi. The minister made the proposal to the Director General of the Police and Border Guard Board (PPA).

The brutal incident, which occurred last week, saw a group of youths violently beat a 17-year-old girl, spitting on her and dousing her with liquid. Videos of the attack were circulated on social media groups.

The victim's father told the publication that for nearly a week, police had not requested security camera recordings from the Viimsi ski center, where the assault took place. This lack of immediate action has raised concerns about the effectiveness of the police response.

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What concerns the question of whether group violence among young people is a growing problem, then indeed in recent years several youth violent crimes, including killings, have shocked Estonia.

Merit Villandberg, the Ministry of Interior's communication advisor, stated that Minister Taro's request aims to comprehensively examine the police's reaction to the incident. She acknowledged that group violence among youth has been a growing concern in Estonia in recent years, citing several violent crimes, including killings, that have shocked the country. Villandberg emphasized the need for close cooperation between families, schools, local governments, and the police, as well as monitoring social media for content that incites or depicts violence.

On Wednesday, police confirmed they had identified the alleged perpetrators and were working to determine their motives and roles in the assault. The individuals are reportedly from Tallinn and known to associate with young people from various areas.

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Prevention of such incidents requires close cooperation between home, school, local government and the police, as well as monitoring social media channels that incite violence or spread content containing violence and, if necessary, blocking their content.