A tragic school shooting in Finland has sparked a debate on gun legislation in the country, as Interior Minister Mari Rantanen stated that now is not the right time to discuss tightening firearms laws. The incident occurred at Viertola school near Helsinki, where a 12-year-old boy brought a relative’s revolver and shot three classmates, killing one and injuring two others.
Despite Finland having over 1.5 million licensed firearms and 430,000 license holders in a population of 5.6 million, Rantanen emphasized that the high number of guns does not make Finland a “gun violent country.” The .22 caliber revolver used in the attack was legally owned by a relative of the suspect, highlighting the importance of responsible gun ownership and storage.
In the wake of the tragedy, there have been no major calls from opposition parties to tighten gun legislation. Rantanen, representing the nationalist Finns Party in the right-wing coalition, reiterated her party’s stance against stricter gun laws. The chairman of the Finnish parliament’s defence committee, Jukka Kopra, also echoed Rantanen’s sentiments, emphasizing the need to focus on preventing such incidents in the future rather than discussing gun laws.
As Finland continues to uphold shooting and hunting as popular pastimes with a long history in the country, the government aims to ensure that reservists can practice shooting while maintaining strict gun legislation. The debate on gun laws in Finland remains ongoing as the nation grapples with the aftermath of this tragic school shooting.