Hundreds more tombstones disturbed at Kerava cemetery

Police suspect the same group that overturned nearly 900 headstones last weekend

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Vandalism continued at the Kerava cemetery in the early hours of Tuesday morning. This time the perpetrators toppled 289 tombstones in all.
      The knocked-over headstones were situated in a secluded northern corner of the graveyard. In the process, five of the stones were broken to pieces.
     
Some of the targeted tombstones were already knocked over last Thursday night when vandals pushed over 889 stones and pulled crosses out of the ground, giving rise to suggestions that Satanists were involved, although many said that the effects of drugs and alcohol alone were probably enough to spark off this kind of anti-social behaviour.
      "The approach used is almost identical to that of last week's attack. Everything indicates that the same group of people has been at it again", says Det. Inspector Pekka Heikkinen from the Keski-Uusimaa (Central Uusimaa) Police.
      On Tuesday morning the police cordoned off the cemetery for the duration of their investigations. The events at the graveyard are being looked into as desecration and gross vandalism.
     
After the first attack, the Kerava Lutheran Parish organised a watch of the cemetery, with people checking on activity at different sites at different times. This measure has now proved inadequate. "We will now add stationary guards as well", says chief attendant Seppo Lindfors of the Kerava Parish.
      The Kerava cemetery is tucked away in a secluded setting bordering woodland, and its guarding has proved problematic. The 18-hectare graveyard containing 3,500-4,000 graves was also attacked in July last year, when around 350 tombstones were toppled.
     
By Tuesday afternoon all the monuments had been lifted back up. The congregation is paying for the costs of raising the fallen tombstones. Repairs of any damage to the memorials will be paid by the next of kin of the deceased. Some of the costs may be covered by insurance.
      The Kerava Parish has contacted the next of kin of all of the deceased whose memorials were damaged. The parish also offers crisis counselling.
      According to Heikkinen, the police are working hard to find out who the perpetrators were. Local youth have been encouraged to come forward should they have any information on the events.
      "Several people have been involved in the attacks and even more people must know about them", Heikkinen reasons.
      The police have also set up a phone number to receive anonymous tips.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Vandals knock over nearly 900 tombstones in Kerava (25.4.2005)

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