Three men attack bus driver in Helsinki

Late on Wednesday evening, police arrested three men who were suspected of assaulting a bus driver in the suburb of Aurinkolahti, in Helsinki’s district of Vuosaari.
      Some kind of altercation had taken place between the driver and the three men at the end-stop around 7.30 pm. The men punched the driver in the face, emptying a foam extinguisher over him.
     
After the incident the perpetrators left the scene, but the police soon caught up with them. As a result of the assault the driver was hospitalised. The severity of his injuries was not known yet on Wednesday evening.
      The bus driver had an immigrant background, but the police could not say whether or not this fact had any part in the matter.
     
Regrettably, attacks on bus drivers in the Greater Helsinki area have become increasingly common in recent years.
      In 2010, there were attacks on 27 bus drivers working for Helsingin Bussiliikenne, the largest operator of municipal bus services in the Helsinki region. This was three times more than in 2008.
     
In February of this year, a group of young passengers beat a bus driver up so badly at Helsinki’s Eliel Square that he had to be taken to intensive care.
      This was the last straw for the drivers in the capital area, who threatened to go on strike unless security on buses is stepped up.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Assaults against Helsinki bus drivers reported about twice a month (8.2.2011)

See also:
  Threatened strike over bus security cancelled (11.2.2011)

Links:
  Helsinki Region Transport (HSL)