Safety Guidebook of the Greens

These are the general safety guidelines for the green candidates, support groups, and organizations. You can make alterations to these guidelines to make them fit your own campaign. You should at least update the contact information. You can also discuss safety issues with your local organization, electoral district, or union.

If a safety threat or fear of one is related to Green (or other political) activity or is disrupting it, you should report the incident to the police but also to your own electoral district or union, even though the situation would already be over. In all acute emergencies (in events or street campaigning etc.) call the emergency telephone number 112.

It is important that even minor threats are reported so that the party has general view of how safe its activities are in Finland. It includes both the situations reported to the police and the ones that are not reported. Electoral districts and unions forward information to party offices, but you can also contact them directly. Try not to see safety as a separate, huge issue, but as the foundation for all action. Try considering safety issues as you are for example setting up coffee service. Safety is for the most part about reasonable practices.

Event Security

Event organizers are also responsible for their safety. Safety issues should be considered as part of the organizing routine of events whether they are big or small, held inside or outside.

Before the Event:

  • Remember safety issues already at the planning phase of the event. You can ask for advice for example from the executive director of your own electoral district or from the part office.
  • Find out if you need security officers.
  • You can notify the police of any event at your own discretion, even if you don’t need to make an official notification. It is a good idea to notify the police of bigger events and happenings, but also of smaller ones, specifically if their topic is controversial. 
  • If you feel that something is off about the security, contact the local police. If an experienced organizer feels that there is something wrong or abnormal going on, trust that feeling.
  • If you receive direct threats or weird inquiries (for example specific inquiries of guests’ schedules or arrival routes) you should notify the police (or The Finnish Security Intelligence Service).

in the event:

  • Do not campaign alone. There should always be at least two people in all events and happenings. Don’t leave each other’s sight when you go to advertise or campaign. 
  • Go through the safety issues at least with the organizers. Check exits, fire safety, first aid kits etc.
  • Secure easy arrival and exiting routes particularly for the high-profile guests.
  • If there is janitor or similar personnel at the locale, inform them about the event.
  • Follow the situation. If something abnormal happens, intervene quickly, and call the emergency telephone number 112.
  • If someone acts suspiciously, approach them with caution and ask politely if they are looking for something or if they need to talk to someone.
  • If a person is clearly threatening, call the police before approaching or doing anything yourself. In all acute emergencies directly call the emergency telephone number 112.
  • If the threatening situation is concrete or physical, for example a person is attacked or something is spilled over them, always notify the police, even though the situation is not an acute emergency.

The party collects information about even the less threatening situations, and you can notify both the district/union/party office and police afterwards.

web security and incorrect information

If you become a target of hate talk or threats, contact the executive director of your electoral district and if needed the police. If you receive threats against your life and health, you should always notify the police (or The Finnish Security Intelligence Service) even if the criteria for an unlawful threat are not met.

It is important not to get provoked if someone slanders you or spreads incorrect information about you. Just take a deep breath and remember not to answer such feedback under emotional outburst. If you are feeling angry continue writing when the feeling has passed. Do not post threats or such for example on social media for they might bring forth more inappropriateness.

You can hide messages on Facebook page, but never hide appropriate criticism. However, your personal social media profiles are not open citizen forums, so you can hide all the messages that for example include cursing, are racists or misogynistic or that are clearly trying to create a conflict. You can also block such profiles completely.

If incorrect information about you ends up in the media, contact the editing office and ask for a correction. Explain shortly why the information is incorrect. You can try to reach for the reporter who have written the story, or if you cannot reach them, you can call the editing office and ask them to make the correction.

information security

Take care that the security features and data protection of all your devices and web pages are up to date. Use strong passwords and two-step verification to sign in whenever it is possible. Don’t use the same or similar passwords to different services. Remember to secure your mobile devices with a password or other signing in method.

Do not pass information security warnings! If you get a warning entering the page, don’t proceed. If the warning asks you if you want to continue to the web site, don’t click yes / pass the warning / set an example etc.

social media, email and sharing of files

Use your own discretion when you share your account information to others (for example to support group members). Make sure that they take care of information security as well. Always maintain the admin rights to yourself if possible. If your account is hacked, contact the service provider, executive director of your local district and the police.

Watch out for email and instant message scamming and phishing. Remember that it is very easy to fake sender and usernames! In unclear cases, make sure that the sender, user account and the message are real by other means. 

Beware of suspicious links and learn to check where the links will take you before clicking them. Use discretion with annexes as well: if they require for example running macros or other additional features, allow it only if you know what you are doing.

Don’t trust memory sticks blindly nor connect them to unfamiliar devices. Use Google Drive or Dropbox to transfer files.

resources on web security and safety

security is a shared responsibility

You are not alone! You can discuss about troubling situations, incidents, or harassment you have encountered. Parties record information about less threatening situations as well, so please tell your local organization or executive director of your district about any troubles you have faced. You will get support and the information will be transferred to the party office. You can also contact them yourself if you wish to. You can notify the police about troubling situations afterwards. You don’t always need to file a police report, but it is a good idea to notify the police about any incidents. If you find yourself wondering whether to report something, do it!

Organizations and larger municipal chapters should discuss safety and security issues with the local police if needed. It is advisable to keep the contacts with local police up to date and contact them readily.

security contact information

  • Inform the executive director or chairperson of your district and the party office (turvallisuusasiat@vihreat.fi) of any threatening situations.
  • You can ask more about safety issues from the executive director of your district and organization manager jarjestopaallikko@vihreat.fi​.