The Finnish police arrest a student after he asked the president about arms deals with Israel

The Finnish police arrested a student at Aalto University in Espoo, west of Helsinki, after he attempted to ask President Alexander Stubb about arms purchases from Israel.

Stubb attended the university on Wednesday accompanied by Iceland's President Guðni Th. Jóhannesson during an official visit to Finland. According to the independent Finnish media platform Contexti-Media, the student, who studies journalism, tried to ask a question about "the legality of Finland continuing to purchase arms from Israel, which, according to the United Nations and the International Criminal Court, is accused of committing genocide."

A video published by the platform showed the Finnish president ignoring the question before the police intervened and escorted the student away, threatening him with arrest and a fine for "resisting authorities and organizing an unauthorized protest." The student has already been fined and announced his intention to appeal the decision.

The Israeli Ministry of Defense announced in November 2023 the signing of a deal with Finland to sell the "David's Sling" air defense system for 317 million euros, while the Finnish Minister of Defense at the time, Antti Häkkänen, confirmed that his country does not intend to reconsider its military deals with Israel despite the events in Gaza.