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Helsinki high schoolers also strike over looming budget cuts

The protesters join university students in expressing their disapproval towards the government's proposed education cuts.

Young people sit and take their exams in auditorium.
The protesters said they will not interfere with exams taking place on Thursday this week. Image: Henrietta Hassinen / Yle
Yle News

A number of pupils at the Kallio Upper Secondary School of Performing Arts in Helsinki have announced that they have occupied the school building in protest of the government's planned budget cuts.

The protesters also appear to have taken over the school's official Instagram account, on which they announced their demonstration on Wednesday morning.

A photo shows a dozen young protesters standing in front of the school, with students holding banners.

Another Instagram post shows many more young people taking part in the protest.

"When the government eases taxes for the most rich and at the same time takes from students and other low-income earners, it is inevitable for us to resist," the protesters said in a post.

The protesters said they would occupy the school until further notice, but added that demonstrators would not interfere with student exams that are planned on Thursday.

Meanwhile, students at the University of Helsinki began a similar protest in the institution's main building on Tuesday.

After a government press conference about the budget proposal on Tuesday evening, protesters at the university called the plans an "awaited disappointment," and vowed to continue protesting.

Newspaper Iltalehti was first to report about the protest in Kallio.

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