Finland Times

Immonen is seen in the photograph published on Tuesday posing with members of a group identifying themselves as national socialists called the Finnish Resistance Movement (SLV).

The photograph was taken on the same day during a joint event organised by the nationalistic association Suomen Sisu and the radical online magazine Sarastus.

The members of the organisations converged in Porvoo at the grave of Eugen Schauman to commemorate the assassination of Governor-General Nikolay Bobrikov.

Immonen is the chair of Suomen Sisu. He, however, did not comment whether it was appropriate for an MP to be seen in the public with members of an extremist group.

“The event may have indiscriminately involved people from all possible organisations found in Finland. The photo from the event, in turn, was taken with all those who participated in the event who wanted to have an opportunity to be in a group photograph with the organisers,” replied Immonen in an email to news agency STT.

The chair of the Finns Party parliamentary group, Sampo Terho commented on the issue on Twitter saying Immonen attended the event in an individual capacity and not as a representative of the Finns Party parliamentary group.