Charges brought against brother of Lithuania’s social affairs deputy minister for damaging US flag

Lithuanian prosecutors have formally accused Saulius Vinokuras, the brother of Social Security and Labour Deputy Minister Tadas Vinokuro, of damaging a US flag during a public event in Vilnius, LRT reports, citing the Prosecutor General’s Office.

Vinokuras was questioned and charged under Article 284 of the Criminal Code, which covers public order violations. The pre-trial investigation is ongoing under the supervision of the Vilnius District Prosecutor’s Office, with officers from the Vilnius County Chief Police Commissariat leading the probe.

The incident occurred on 4 July near Vilnius TV Tower, where a large US flag was being raised to mark the 250th anniversary of US independence. According to police, Vinokuras climbed over a fence, began confronting officers, and damaged the flag. A widely circulated video shows him walking over the flag on the ground and accusing police and US citizens of “Gestapo-like arrests”.

This is not the first legal issue for Vinokuras. Last year, he admitted on social media to placing posters criticising Israel’s actions in Gaza at the Paneriai Holocaust memorial site in Vilnius, where Israeli officials were visiting. He claimed the action was meant to honour victims and protest what he described as the desecration of the memorial by Israeli state ribbons.

Under Lithuanian law, public order violations involving aggressive behaviour, threats, or vandalism can result in fines, community service, or up to two years in prison.