Helsinki Police Investigate Vandalism of Alexei Navalny Memorial Bench

Helsinki police have launched an investigation into the vandalism of a memorial bench honoring the late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny. The memorial, situated in Ullanlinna, was found with significant burn marks on its wooden seating and backrest.

Authorities are currently treating the incident as property damage. Rikoskomisario Tommi Lehtonen, the lead investigator, stated that the financial extent of the damage is not yet known. The memorial, a bench with red legs forming the letter 'H' (representing the first letter of Navalny's name in Cyrillic), was unveiled in early June near the Russian Embassy.

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The case is being investigated as property damage at this stage. At this point, there is no information on the financial extent of the damage.

The Initiative for Resistance and Dialogues (Foredi), the organization responsible for the memorial, had previously announced its intention to file a police report and requested the installation of a surveillance camera. Lehtonen confirmed that the police report has been received and the investigation is underway to identify the individual or individuals responsible for the act of vandalism.

At this stage, police have no information regarding potential eyewitnesses to the incident. Alexei Navalny died in a Russian prison in February 2024, with widespread belief that he was murdered. The defacement of his memorial in Helsinki highlights the ongoing international attention and sentiment surrounding his death and the broader political climate.

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The police report has been received. Next, the police will try to identify the perpetrator or perpetrators of the vandalism.