Man Allegedly Threatened Several Women on Tampere Buses, Prompting Investigations

According to Yle, "If you look here, I'll kill you," a man allegedly told a young woman on a Tampere bus in early March. Police and Tampere Region Public Transport say the same man has harassed and threatened several women on buses in Tampere, with reports continuing through late March and a new complaint filed last week.

The woman, given the pseudonym Maisa in the report to protect her privacy, says the man sat close to her group after boarding at Keskustori and began shouting threats as they rode. They got off at the Central Library Metso stop; he followed them, shouting aggressively and warning he could learn where she lived if she looked at him. She now avoids night buses.

Detective Chief Inspector Heikki Järnström said police have received four formal investigation requests related to the man's behaviour. One case is being investigated as an assault; the others are being treated as illegal threats. Officers have contacted the suspect but have not detained him, and preliminary investigations will soon be passed to the prosecutor.

Tampere Region Public Transport's customer manager Riikka Salkonen said the operator has received just under 20 reports about the man's conduct this spring, most recently a complaint last week alleging a child on line 32 was threatened. Drivers have been advised on how to respond and may refuse boarding or remove a threatening passenger, but the operator cannot issue a formal ban.