Finland marks its 108th Independence Day on 6 December with the traditional flag-raising at Tähtitorninmäki, a wreath-laying ceremony at Hietaniemi Cemetery and a large military parade in Kouvola. In the capital, however, the celebrations coincide with multiple demonstrations—including the annual ‘Helsinki without Nazis’ march and the nationalist 612 torchlight procession—that have prompted the Helsinki Police Department to issue an exceptional traffic advisory.
Road closures began at 15:00 and will roll across the city centre until around 21:00. Pohjoisesplanadi, Senate Square, Kruununhaka, Katajanokka, Töölö and the main avenues around the Presidential Palace are subject to intermittent shutdowns. Police have urged motorists to avoid the inner city and recommended that visitors use rail links to Pasila and metro services to Hakaniemi if travel is essential. Trams 2, 3, 4, 7 and 10 are running on shortened routes, while several bus lines have been diverted to bypass the protest hotspots.
![Independence Day protests and military parade to disrupt travel in Helsinki]()
Business travellers arriving at Helsinki-Vantaa Airport this evening should factor in longer transfer times. Taxis are being routed via the ring road to bypass the blocked arteries, adding 15–25 minutes to the usual 30-minute journey. Hotels in the South Harbour area have alerted guests that check-in by car will be impossible during the presidential reception window (17:30-20:30).
Employers hosting meetings in Helsinki this week are advised to shift client dinners away from the Esplanade and Senate Square districts or to move them to Friday, when normal traffic patterns resume. The city’s convention bureau has published English-language detour maps and real-time updates via the MyHelsinki app.
Finnish Independence Day is always a high-visibility date, but analysts note that 2025 is the first time the new government has asked the Defence Forces to place armoured vehicles on standby in the capital. While officials stress that the move is precautionary, multinational security teams should monitor developments and adjust ground-transport plans accordingly.
Road closures began at 15:00 and will roll across the city centre until around 21:00. Pohjoisesplanadi, Senate Square, Kruununhaka, Katajanokka, Töölö and the main avenues around the Presidential Palace are subject to intermittent shutdowns. Police have urged motorists to avoid the inner city and recommended that visitors use rail links to Pasila and metro services to Hakaniemi if travel is essential. Trams 2, 3, 4, 7 and 10 are running on shortened routes, while several bus lines have been diverted to bypass the protest hotspots.
Business travellers arriving at Helsinki-Vantaa Airport this evening should factor in longer transfer times. Taxis are being routed via the ring road to bypass the blocked arteries, adding 15–25 minutes to the usual 30-minute journey. Hotels in the South Harbour area have alerted guests that check-in by car will be impossible during the presidential reception window (17:30-20:30).
Employers hosting meetings in Helsinki this week are advised to shift client dinners away from the Esplanade and Senate Square districts or to move them to Friday, when normal traffic patterns resume. The city’s convention bureau has published English-language detour maps and real-time updates via the MyHelsinki app.
Finnish Independence Day is always a high-visibility date, but analysts note that 2025 is the first time the new government has asked the Defence Forces to place armoured vehicles on standby in the capital. While officials stress that the move is precautionary, multinational security teams should monitor developments and adjust ground-transport plans accordingly.
