"Young people are not safe in massive crowds gathering in the dark. Parents should be aware of where their children are and with whom. We cannot recommend these Friday gatherings and spending time in Kaivopuisto Park or other city parks. In the dark, these areas create conditions for unsafe and dangerous situations," states Regional Director Tiina Hörkkö from City of Helsinki Youth Services.
Police has intervened in youth gatherings
"The police have had to intervene in these gatherings to prevent crime and ensure public order and safety. As a last resort, the police have had to empty the park of all young people," states Senior Sergeant Leea Virkkunen from the Helsinki Police Department.
The City of Helsinki Youth Services, together with the Police Department, encourage young people to spend time in smaller groups. This improves the safety of all participants and creates a calmer environment for everyone in the area. In smaller groups, young people can better pay attention to each other's safety and wellbeing.
Youth workers, police and volunteers secure youth gatherings
To ensure safety in the youth gatherings, it is essential that everyone acts responsibly. Spending time in smaller groups reduces the risk of the gatherings becoming uncontrollable and unsafe. This also helps the authorities and the City to keep the areas clean and safe for all Helsinki residents.
The City of Helsinki will improve the comfort of the parks that are popular among young people, for example by increasing lighting. As for the park parties, the City of Helsinki Youth Services will work closely together with the Children of the Station organisation, in particular. This way, we can ensure and coordinate the presence of safe adults among the young people.
"We hope that guardians will agree on the rules with their children before the evening and that they are aware of where their children are spending their time. We would like to remind guardians to keep their phone sound on and note that the police usually call from an unknown number," Senior Sergeant Leea Virkkunen points out.
