Palme was known as a keen anti-socialist who was radicalized after the 1906 Hakaniemi riot in Helsinki.

Palme viewed the Finns as racially inferior and having benefitted from the Swedish colonisation of Finland.

Palme set the tone for the unit by expressing his enthusiasm for "shooting some hooligans".

Palme was part of a subsection of Swedish volunteers who saw the conflict in heavily racist terms.

[3]"In every Finn there hides, in spite of centuries of cultivation, a bit of barbarian, which for a long time yet, as until now, will require care and discipline.