Man arrested for damaging US flag at Vilnius TV tower ahead of Independence Day celebration

Lithuanian public broadcaster LRT reports that a man was detained near the Vilnius TV tower after climbing onto a US flag laid on the ground and attempting to damage it just before a ceremonial hoisting to mark the 250th anniversary of US independence.

The incident was captured on video and shared on social media, showing the man walking over the flag and making statements accusing police and Americans of “Gestapo-like arrests.” He was later restrained by event organisers and handed over to police.

According to ELTA news agency, the detained man is Saulius Vinokuras, the brother of Tadas Vinokuras, an advisor to Lithuania’s acting Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė. Saulius Vinokuras had previously drawn attention in 2025 after leaving posters with slogans such as “Sanctions on Israel” and “Never again for anyone #FreePalestine” at the Paneriai Memorial following a visit by Israel’s then-foreign minister Gideon Sa’ar.

Loreta Kairienė, a representative of the Vilnius County Police Commissariat, confirmed that a pre-trial investigation has been launched. “In a public place, near the TV tower, a man born in 2005, in the presence of others, aggressively climbed over a fence and trampled the US flag lying on the ground, thereby showing disrespect to those present and disrupting public order and tranquillity,” she said.

The flag-raising ceremony was intended as a symbolic gift to the US on its 250th anniversary, celebrating the long-standing strategic partnership between the two countries. The US flag, measuring 540 square metres and weighing 70 kilograms, set a record as the largest foreign flag ever hoisted in Lithuania and the largest ever displayed on the Vilnius TV tower.

Lithuania’s Deputy Foreign Minister Audra Plepytė, who attended the event, emphasised that the flag symbolised the unshakable bond between the two nations. “Today, the record-sized US flag flying over Vilnius is more than just an impressive sight—it is a powerful symbol of our strategic partnership and deep friendship. Lithuania and the United States are united by a fundamental, time-tested belief that freedom and independence are the highest values belonging to every nation,” she said.

The event was also attended by US Ambassador Kara C. McDonald, Tadas Vizgirda, Chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in Lithuania, and representatives of the Vilnius City Municipality.