Lithuanian citizen sentenced for assaulting pro-Ukraine cyclist

A Lithuanian court has sentenced a man to one year and three months of restricted freedom for assaulting a cyclist wearing Ukraine-supporting clothing and damaging his property, state broadcaster LRT reports.

The Vilniaus Regional District Court found the defendant, identified only as J. J. (born 1987), guilty of minor bodily harm and property damage. In addition to the restricted freedom sentence—during which he must either work or register with the Employment Service—the court ordered him to participate in a violence prevention program, cover the victim’s medical expenses, and compensate for material and non-material damages.

According to the ruling, which took legal effect on May 12, the incident occurred on March 27, 2025, in the Širvintos district. The convicted man, while driving, approached the cyclist—who was riding in the same direction—and repeatedly demanded he remove his Ukraine-symbol-bearing shirt. When the cyclist refused, J. J. deliberately swerved his car toward the cyclist, forcing him off the road. The victim fell, sustaining injuries and damaging his bicycle.

After the crash, J. J. approached the cyclist, again demanded he remove the shirt, and attempted to pull it off. When the victim took out his phone to call for help, the attacker struck his hand, causing the phone to drop and break on the pavement.

The court determined that the conflict was not accidental but stemmed from the defendant’s hostility toward individuals expressing support for Ukraine in its resistance against Russian aggression. Prosecutors treated this motive as an aggravating circumstance, as the crime was committed to express contempt for a group based on their political views.

The investigation was led by the Vilniaus District Prosecutor’s Office, with the Vilniaus County Chief Police Commissariat handling the preliminary inquiry.