A 52-year-old Finnish entrepreneur faces charges for violently resisting police and attempting to endanger health. The case is being heard today in the North Savo District Court.
Police attempted to take the yoga and cleaning business owner for COVID testing in early March 2021. Officers found her at a friend's apartment in Vieremä. According to charges, she refused to cooperate and physically resisted arrest.
The woman struggled violently against officers performing their duties. Prosecutors say she bit an older constable on the hand during the confrontation.
Later hospital testing confirmed she had COVID-19. During testing, she allegedly kicked officers, spat blood-tinged saliva toward them, and screamed "You will all die."
Prosecutors claim she attempted to infect officers with COVID-19 by spitting. The coronavirus was classified as a generally dangerous infectious disease.
The prosecution seeks 5-7 months of conditional imprisonment. The verdict will be delivered later.
Body camera footage of the arrest sparked public discussion when published online. Police noted her yoga studio had been linked to a major COVID exposure chain.
Authorities suspected the woman had exposed multiple clients to the virus. She refused to cooperate with health officials and had falsely claimed she already underwent testing.
The situation became particularly serious because she also operated a cleaning business serving elderly clients. Older adults belonged to high-risk groups for severe COVID outcomes.
Eighteen people contracted the virus in this transmission chain, with two requiring hospitalization. Seven additional people caught the virus through secondary transmission.
When the woman refused to disclose client names, police took unusual action by publishing her name and photo to reach potentially exposed individuals.
The decision to publish her identity led to charges against police for violating official secrecy. A police commissioner argued he had legal grounds under preliminary investigation law to prevent new crimes and damage.
An earlier fine against the commissioner was overturned by the Eastern Finland Court of Appeal in May 2023. The woman sought €200,000 in damages from police and the state, but her claim was rejected in district court.
This case highlights the extreme measures authorities resorted to during Finland's pandemic response. The woman's dual roles as both yoga instructor and elderly cleaner created particularly dangerous exposure risks that prompted unusual police action.