Pirha to train staff in January to spot far-right recruitment among Pirkanmaa youth

According to Tamperelainen, staff at Pirha, the service organisation for the Pirkanmaa wellbeing area, will be trained in January to identify and prevent violent radicalisation among children and young people.

The programme targets professionals who work with children and youth. The need for the training emerged during a regional council question time, when Milka Hanhela, chair of the Pirkanmaa Left's regional council group, asked how staff are being prepared to recognise far-right activity and recruitment. Titta Pelttari, Pirha's service line director, said the issue is also being addressed by the wellbeing area's violence prevention working group, and through cooperation with municipalities and the Central Finland police.

Police warned in September that far-right extremist ideas and recruitment are spreading among young people in Pirkanmaa a police warning in September. Recent reporting has found that far-right supporters have infiltrated a Tappara fan subgroup, including members as young as 12 a related report.