Man detained in Vilnius for wearing banned St. George’s ribbon

A man was detained by police in Vilnius on Saturday morning after entering Antakalnis Cemetery wearing a St. George’s ribbon, a symbol banned in Lithuania, public broadcaster LRT reports.

The ribbon, associated with Soviet Victory Day celebrations, is prohibited from public display in Lithuania, with violations carrying administrative penalties. Police stopped the man near the cemetery entrance and instructed him to remain by a patrol car while a report was prepared.

The detainee, who identified himself as Pavel, told officers: “Let there be a fine, but I have my own opinion. Let them arrest me. This is how I express my views.”

Two men, one wearing the ribbon, spoke to journalists, claiming Lithuania lacks free speech. “Why must we suffer? We have no freedom of speech. We honour our own. Your Lithuanian nonsense invented these restrictions—what’s allowed, what’s not—you’re the ones pushing propaganda, not us,” they said, criticising the law as “stupid.” Both held carnations and insisted they were Lithuanian citizens and friends, though one had lived in western Ukraine for five years.

They denied supporting Russia’s war in Ukraine, with one noting his mother is Ukrainian and has lived in Lithuania since childhood. “War is bad, no matter who started it,” he said.

The men also distributed toilet paper printed with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s image, claiming it was “for Lithuania’s cleanliness.” Cemetery visitors refused the flyers, reacting with disapproval.

Heavy police presence was reported near the cemetery, where Soviet-era marches played from a pavilion amid rain. Last year, condoms were distributed at the same location by activists from the “Light Wolves” group, who claimed it was to “prevent people like Putin from being born.”

May 9 is marked in Russia and some post-Soviet states as Victory Day over Nazi Germany, while Lithuania and the EU officially observe it as Europe Day, commemorating peace and the 1950 Schuman Declaration. Lithuania lost its independence after World War II, regaining it only in 1990–1993 following decades of Soviet occupation.

Ahead of the date, Lithuania’s State Security Department (VSD) warned of potential provocations, including pro-Kremlin demonstrations, banned Soviet symbolism, and justifications for Russia’s aggression in Ukraine.