Eight environmental activists from the group Elokapina are heading to court in Rovaniemi this week. They're charged with disobeying police and unlawful interference, stemming from two major protests in Finnish Lapland. The trial at the Lapland District Court starts Wednesday and is scheduled to last two days.
One defendant is forest activist Ida Korhonen. She was involved in both actions: stopping logging at Aalistunturi in Kolar, West Lapland, in winter 2023, and halting mining test drills at Viiankiaapa, a protected mire in Sodankylä, East Lapland, in winter 2024. Police arrested her a total of three times during these demonstrations. Korhonen denies the charges, stating her actions were justified to protect biodiversity and a proposed national park.
The logging protest at Aalistunturi involved activists camping on a winter road leading to the site. They demanded that Metsähallitus, Finland's state-owned forestry company, abandon plans to log 400 hectares south of the fell. The area is part of a larger region locals have proposed for national park status. Korhonen argues the logging fragmented important ecological connections. The protest delayed the work, and now Metsähallitus's forestry subsidiary is seeking tens of thousands of euros in damages from the activists for the economic losses caused by that delay.
The second case involves the Viiankiaapa mire. It's a legally protected area under both national peatland and nature conservation laws and is part of the EU-wide Natura 2000 network, which safeguards Europe's most valuable and threatened species and habitats. Activists moved to stop test drilling there because a mining company was exploring the area. Korhonen calls the idea of a mine in a protected zone senseless and something that must be prevented.
Elokapina is the Finnish branch of the international Extinction Rebellion movement, known for using civil disobedience to demand urgent government action on the climate and ecological crises. Their activists often risk legal consequences to draw attention to their causes. The trial in Rovaniemi, the capital of Lapland located north of the Arctic Circle, is a significant test case. It pits direct action against claims of economic damage and public order.
The activists face fines or up to three months in prison if convicted on the criminal charges of disobeying police and unlawful interference. They firmly reject the separate civil claim for damages from the forestry company. The court's decision will be closely watched by environmental groups and authorities alike.