Prosecutors drop probe into Andrijauskas poster incident

Lithuanian prosecutors have discontinued a pre-trial investigation into an incident involving political scientist Konstantinas Andrijauskas, who removed a “Lithuania for Lithuanians” banner in Vilnius on March 11, LRT reported.

The investigation initially concerned suspected violations of public order and minor bodily harm. Prosecutors said they found no evidence that an act bearing the signs of a crime or criminal misdemeanour had been committed.

The incident took place on M. K. Čiurlionis Street, where Andrijauskas, an associate professor at Vilnius University’s Institute of International Relations and Political Science and an expert on China, encountered people holding the banner and waving Lithuanian flags. He acknowledged removing the banner from an overpass but denied swearing at its owner, tearing it or hitting him.

The banner’s owner, Kęstutis Tamašauskas, said Andrijauskas tried to leave after taking it down. Tamašauskas said he ran over, blocked his way and that the encounter then turned physical. He said passers-by helped restrain Andrijauskas and police were called.

Prosecutors said the investigation did not gather enough reliable, mutually consistent evidence to link the banner owner’s injuries to an alleged intentional blow by Andrijauskas. They also said the evidence did not show that Andrijauskas used violence, threatened anyone, substantially disrupted public activity or behaved so aggressively that removing the banner alone amounted to a breach of public order.

According to prosecutors, the finding that Andrijauskas removed someone else’s banner without permission was not enough to classify his conduct as an insolent or vandalistic display of disrespect, in the absence of established violence, threats, malicious mockery or intentional vandalism.

The decision can be appealed to a senior prosecutor. An earlier investigation into a complaint by Andrijauskas alleging physical pain, minor bodily harm and unlawful deprivation of liberty was also discontinued.

In a Facebook post, Andrijauskas said he had been informed that the investigation against him was closed and that it confirmed the account of the incident he had given from the outset. He said the banner had covered road signs and that the organisers, whose faces were covered, had not notified the municipality about their action.

The slogan “Lithuania for Lithuanians” is viewed in different ways: some consider it hateful toward people of other nationalities and segregationist, while others see it as an old Lithuanian slogan emphasising the role of the Lithuanian nation in building the state.