Finnish leadership condemns attack on veteran lawmaker

By JARI TANNER
Associated Press

HELSINKI (AP) — Finland’s leaders have strongly condemned an assault on a Jewish lawmaker who was assaulted and punched in the face while campaigning for the country’s April 2 general election. Veteran conservative politician Ben Zyskowicz told Finnish media that a large man confronted him at a metro station in Helsinki, the capital city that he represents. He says the man started yelling, blaming the 68-year-old lawmaker for Finland’s decision to join NATO, hurling antisemitic insults and threatening to kill him. Zyskowicz reported he was hit in the face and fell on the ground, suffering bruises, scratches and other minor injuries. Police apprehended a suspect later Saturday. President Sauli Niinisto called the assault “a cowardly act.”