Peasant March

The Peasant March (Finnish: talonpoikaismarssi, Swedish: bondetåget) was a demonstration in Helsinki on 7 July 1930 by the far-right Lapua movement, attended by more than 12,000 supporters from all over the country.

It was the most significant show of strength in the short history of the Lapua movement, aimed primarily at the Communists, but it was also intended to put pressure on the Finnish government.

President Lauri Relander, Prime Minister Pehr Evind Svinhufvud, among others, were invited guests at the main event held at the Senate Square.

In addition present were right-wing MPs, the country's military leadership, and General Mannerheim, commander-in-chief of the Civil War White Army.

Other keynote speakers were the priests Kaarlo Kares and Väinö Malmivaara, who gave religious speeches and demanded, among other things, end to blasphemy.

[1] The Kallio government was powerless in the face of pressure from the Lapua movement when, unsure of the loyalty of the white guard, it was unable to take retaliatory action.

[2][3] The next day, the activists of the Lapua movement forced their way into a meeting of the Constitutional Committee, from where they abducted socialist MPs Eino Pekkala and Jalmari Rötkö.