Police open investigation into incident outside Kaunas mosque

Kaunas police have opened a pre-trial investigation into Friday’s incident outside a mosque in Kaunas, LRT reported.

After reviewing video footage and reports, police launched the investigation under two articles of Lithuania’s Criminal Code: Article 170, concerning incitement against a national, racial, ethnic, religious or other group, and Article 171, concerning interference with religious rites or ceremonies.

Police also opened administrative proceedings on Friday over an unauthorised gathering. Officers said the bikers did not have a permit issued by the municipality to assemble outside the mosque.

According to the news portal Kas vyksta Kaune, a group of bikers disrupted Muslim community prayers at and outside the mosque. They chanted “Lithuania”, made noise, played rock music loudly and brought a pig’s head. The bikers interviewed by the portal could not say what specific message they wanted to convey.

Police spokeswoman Odeta Vaitkevičienė said some participants had already been identified on Friday. Officers are investigating who organised the gathering, whether people had been invited and the identities of other participants if necessary.

Police said they were also clarifying the circumstances under the Criminal Code provision on responsibility for hatred and incitement against a group of people.

Police currently do not plan to assign additional security resources to the mosque. Vaitkevičienė said officers would respond if information emerged about possible unrest or other threats.

Mufti Aleksandras Beganskas said the action was directly aimed at Muslims. He said that if the bikers had wanted to protest against foreigners or emigrants, they could have gone to the Seimas, the Migration Department or another location, rather than a place of worship during prayers.

Beganskas said the action appeared to have been planned in advance, arguing that around 100 people could not have arrived at the location by chance while also bringing a pig’s head. He also alleged that the bikers shouted at and threatened people gathered at the mosque, while police officers on duty ignored the behaviour.

The mufti said he believed the police should launch an internal investigation into whether officers had properly carried out their duty to ensure public safety.