Veryga urges wider view of biker protest at Kaunas mosque

Aurelijus Veryga, leader of the Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union and a member of the European Parliament, has urged people to consider the events that led to last week’s biker protest outside a mosque in Kaunas, LRT reported. Speaking to Žinių radijas on Wednesday, he said the latest incident should not obscure the wider picture.

“What I would really like in this story is for the latest incident not to overshadow the overall picture. We need to see how we got to this point,” Veryga said.

He said Lithuania had experienced few problems with Muslims before the establishment of the new muftiate. According to Veryga, public discontent was fuelled by the mosque being taken over from the old Tatar community, as well as by comments from the new leadership about behaviour outside the place of worship.

“The conflict escalated, and the bikers’ arrival was already the culmination,” Veryga said. He added that peaceful and non-violent protests had the right to exist, while the police should carry out their duties.

Last Friday, bikers arrived during Muslim prayers at the mosque in Ramybės Park in Kaunas. They played loud music, revved their motorcycles, chanted patriotic slogans and displayed a pig’s head they had brought with them.

Kaunas County Police launched a pre-trial investigation on Monday into possible incitement against any group of people and interference with religious rites. Interior Minister Martynas Katelynas also asked the State Security Department to assess the situation.