The police will safeguard President Ahtisaari’s state funeral – the procession will have an impact on traffic in the city centre and Hietaniemi

The funeral of President Martti Ahtisaari will take place on 10 November. The police will be safeguarding the state funeral and directing traffic.

The funeral service of President Martti Ahtisaari will take place at the Helsinki Cathedral on Friday, 10 November at 1 p.m.

After the funeral service, at around 2.30 p.m., the funeral procession will move from the Cathedral towards the Hietaniemi cemetery. The total duration of the procession will be approximately 45 minutes (map: Appendix 1).

The funeral procession will use the following route:

Unioninkatu – Aleksanterinkatu (in the direction of Meritullintori, circling the Main Guard Post) – Pohjoisesplanadi – Unioninkatu (circling the Presidential Palace) – Aleksanterinkatu – Mannerheimintie – Arkadiankatu – Pohjoinen Rautatiekatu – Mechelininkatu – across the Hietaniemi cemetery from the old chapel gate to the new Hietaniemi chapel.

All other traffic will be stopped on the procession route during the funeral. The police advise people to avoid driving a car in the area near the procession route between approximately 2 and 4 p.m. Public transport will also be directed to exceptional routes for the duration of the procession. Up-to-date information on exceptional public transport routes can be found at www.hsl.fi.

Tens of thousands of people are expected to arrive along the route. The best places for citizens to observe the funeral at the scene will be Senate Square and the surroundings of the Cathedral, the area in front of the Presidential Palace and the area in front of Kiasma. 

“It is the duty of the police to secure a safe and dignified funeral day. In addition, the role of the police includes ensuring that the funeral procession can move smoothly and without disruption along the route,” says Superintendent Heikki Porola, Chief of the Response and Control Division at the Helsinki Police Department.

At the Hietaniemi cemetery, the area surrounding President Ahtisaari’s grave will be restricted and reserved for invited guests. The procession can be observed at the cemetery from outside the restricted area. The area for the ceremony will be restricted at the cemetery, but moving in the area will otherwise be allowed.

After the Hietaniemi event, the invited guests will move to an event with coffee served at the Helsinki City Hall and a memorial service at the Government Banquet Hall. The Helsinki City Hall will be closed to the public. The guests’ return to the city centre may also cause short-term disturbance to traffic. The police will be directing traffic.

Port traffic may be affected by the funeral procession to a small extent. If necessary, the police will direct port traffic.

No-parking zones along the route

The police advice citizens to carefully note the exceptional parking arrangements.

On the day of the funeral, parking bans will be imposed along the route of the funeral procession and in the square areas (Senate Square and Market Square) on both sides of the street between approximately 7 a.m. and 8 p.m.

Improperly parked cars will be towed away from the no-parking zone.

Flying drones will be restricted

On the day of the funeral, the police will impose a temporary restricted area for aviation, which will be in force from 9 a.m.to 8 p.m.

The restricted area during the funeral day will cover in practice the entire inner city area (map: Appendix 2). With the exception of specific media, no exemptions will be granted for flying unmanned aircraft, or drones.

The reasons for the extensive restricted area are securing the police’s own aviation operations and ensuring the safety of the event.

Anyone flying unmanned aircraft without permission commits an aviation offence, for which the police may impose a fine. The pilot may also be guilty of other offences, such as endangering traffic safety. If necessary, the police may also seize the aircraft.

The temporary restricted area and more detailed information will also be published online at www.flyk.com and www.ais.fi.

The police will update the latest information about traffic arrangements on the funeral day and other relevant matters to the police’s website at www.poliisi.fi as well as to the Helsinki Police Department’s account @HelsinkiPoliisi on the “X” social media service.

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