Minorities | Police: The bomb detonated at the Lapua Pride event was a “homemade hoax”, several young people are suspected of causing the damage

Homemade according to the current information, four “apparently young perpetrators” are suspected of detonating the bomb on the outskirts of the Lapua library’s Pride event, whose identifying marks are known to the police. This is what the head of the investigation, the crime commissioner, says Kati-Susanna Lukkarinen From the Ostrobothnia Police Department.

The same perpetrators are suspected to have disturbed the Lapua library before. According to Lukkarinen, at this stage it is not known whether the events or the motive are related to the Pride event.

“Lapua is not a very big place. You would think that based on the signs, we will soon be on the trail of the perpetrators,” says Lukkarinen.

The library’s surveillance tapes, which the police will review next, are also a good help.

Bomb exploded on Monday night in the library’s air closet. At the library, a panel discussion about the trans law was taking place, which was part of the first Pride week organized in Lapua this week. No one was injured in the incident.

The police are investigating the matter as damage and causing danger.

Read more: A homemade bomb exploded at the Lapua Pride event

According to the police, the homemade bomb was a so-called “pipe bomb”, which was made in a soda bottle. Lukkarinen describes the bomb as a “homemade nightmare”.

“I can’t say whether such a thing can cause anything other than property damage, smoke and interruption. I’m not an explosives expert,” says Lukkarinen.

Pride week spokesperson for the main organizer Lakeude sateenkaari association Julla Laurila said on Tuesday that the same perpetrators would also have taken four rainbow flags from the venue.

The police are also investigating the possible tearing of the flags and their disposal, as well as finding out if the acts are connected.

Since the investigation of the case is just beginning and the police have not reached the suspects of the crime, their motive has not been confirmed.

Last Weeks of Pride events have been overshadowed by a mass shooting outside a gay bar in Norway at the end of June, in which two people died and more than 20 were injured.

Oslo was celebrating Pride week at the time of the shooting. The incident also raised concerns about the safety of Pride events organized elsewhere.