Finnish ‘rage room’ a hit, especially with women

Raninen's rage room allows clients to vent their post-pandemic anger with a baseball bat and is proving a smash hit among women. Photo: AFP

A Finnish man who spent two decades behind bars for murder is trying to repay his debt to society by founding a “rage room” – letting clients vent their anger on household objects with a baseball bat.

Janne Raninen, a 44-year-old convicted of two gang-related murders, opened Helsinki’s “Raivoomo” (“rage centre”) two months ago using money borrowed from friends, and says he has been “fully booked” ever since.