The Helsinki Police will have a visible presence during Independence Day

Independence Day festivities and demonstrations will affect traffic in the city centre on 6 December 2021. Aviation will be restricted in the centre of Helsinki on Independence Day between 6 am and 10 pm. This restriction applies to both manned and unmanned aviation.

Security arrangements during Independence Day are the Helsinki Police Department’s largest annual operation, supported by a number of Finnish police units and cooperating authorities. 

“The Helsinki Police Department is responsible for the safety and security of Independence Day festivities and demonstrations, which means that we will have a visible and proactive presence across the city. The police’s duty is to safeguard public order and safety, as well as the freedom of speech of demonstrators,” says Heikki Porola, Chief Superintendent. 

The Helsinki Police Department will update the latest information on Independence Day traffic arrangements and demonstrations in its Twitter account @HelsinkiPoliisi. You can also monitor the Twitter account without logging in to the service at twitter.com/helsinkipoliisiLink to an external website.

An updated list of demonstrations reported to the police, and their impact on traffic

Independence Day festivities and events will have an impact on public transport routes and vehicle traffic in general. The police recommends the use of a car to be avoided in the city centre, Töölö in particular, between 3 and 8 pm. The following demonstrations reported to the police will have an impact on traffic:

• The Suomi Herää demonstration will start from the Helsinki Railway Square at 3 pm and proceed along the route Mikonkatu–Pohjoisesplanadi–Mannerheimintie–the Parliament House. 
• The Helsinki ilman natseja demonstration will start from the Narinkka Square at 4.30 pm and proceed along the route Narinkka Square–Salomonkatu–Paasikivenaukio–Arkadiankatu–Runeberginkatu–Välskärinkatu–Taivallahdenaukio. 
• The 612 procession will start from the Töölö Square at 6 pm and proceed along the route Töölö Square–Runeberginkatu–Pohjoinen rautatienkatu–Mechelininkatu. 

The university students’ candlelight procession will start from Hietaniemi at 5 pm and proceed along the route Hietaniemienkatu–Arkadiankatu–Mannerheimintie–Pohjoisesplanadi–Mariankatu–Aleksanterinkatu–the Senate Square. 

Aviation will be restricted in Helsinki on Independence Day

Aviation will be restricted in the centre of Helsinki on Independence Day between 6 am and 10 pm. This restriction applies to both manned and unmanned aviation (drones). The temporary restriction zone will be established to safeguard the authorities’ aviation activities and the public events to be held in the area. 

The authorities will have significant aviation activities in the area, and compliance with the restriction will be monitored closely. Any violations will be subject to a fine, and equipment may also be ordered forfeit to the State as an instrument of crime. We request professional and non-professional operators to understand the situation. In other words, no drones or other unmanned aerial vehicles can be operated in the area marked on the map.

These restrictions do not apply to the military, border guard, police, customs, maritime or aviation authorities, or rescue, paramedic or patient transport services, or their flight operations, when the fulfilment of the duties assigned to these authorities requires flight operations in the area. Furthermore, these restrictions do not apply to emergency air ambulance operations or flights that are based on an international obligation binding on Finland.

The police would like to remind every flight operator that they are obligated to comply with the flight restrictions in the area. More information is available in the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency’s Droneinfo service and at aviamaps.comLink to an external website.