In Russia and Russian communities, May 9 is the Victory Day against Nazi Germany. Every year, some people come to the Antakalnis cemetery and other memorable places, for whom this day is a holiday.
Usually, on this occasion, songs created especially for the so-called Victory Day are played in the cemetery, people carry carnations, some also take portraits of their dead relatives with them.
True, the situation worsened in the spring of 2022, when after Russia attacked Ukraine, those who came to the Antakalnis cemetery were met by people who support Ukraine, public figures, and reinforced patrolling by police officers.
Then the municipality of the capital built special stands next to the entrance to the cemetery, with images illustrating war atrocities in Ukrainian cities.
Last year, people who gathered at this place not only placed flowers on the graves of Soviet soldiers, but also encouraged each other to drink “to Putin’s health”, very ambiguous statements were heard regarding the war in Ukraine, controversial pro-Russian figures also visited the cemetery.
As a portal lrytas.lt Gabrielius Grubinskas, the representative of the Vilnius city municipality, informed that at the moment the municipality has no indications regarding the planned meetings to commemorate the Victory Day.
“We have not received requests to issue a permit for the meeting either. If we receive information about a planned gathering without a permit, we would pass the information on to the police,” he said.
On his part, Tomas Braženias, the Chief Specialist of the Communication Sub-Department of the Chief Police Commissariat of Vilnius County, assured that the citizens of Vilnius who came to the Antakalnis cemetery will be met by officers again this time.
“Every year Vilnius district VPK police officers are working at the Antakalnis cemetery on May 9, ensuring public order and seriousness. This year is no exception.
The police forces (both uniformed and non-uniformed officers) will patrol and record possible violations in the mentioned cemetery, monitor the participants who have arrived, in order to avoid possible provocations, to prevent administrative offenses due to the display of prohibited symbols,” said T. Braženias.
Some people visit the Antakalnis cemetery “dressed up” with forbidden symbols. Last year, a man came wearing a George ribbon, the so-called “colorad”. However, while walking past the police officers, the man took it off and put it in his pocket.
Another man figured out a way to get around the ban on the Georgian armband – although he didn’t wear it, he turned up wearing an identically colored striped T-shirt.
According to T. Bražėnas, last year Vilnius AVPK initiated 3 administrative proceedings according to Article 524 of the ANC of the Republic of Lithuania. 1 d. and 1 administrative law according to Article 524 of the ANC of the Republic of Lithuania. 2 d. Penalties for violators.
Amendments to legal acts stipulate that in Lithuania it is prohibited to use “symbols of totalitarian or authoritarian regimes, which these regimes used or are using to promote military aggression committed or committed by them, crimes against humanity and war crimes committed or committed by them”, and it is also specifically indicated that such a symbol is considered a two-color (black and orange) Georgius (St. George) band.
Public display of these symbols is punishable by a fine of between 300 and 700 euros for natural persons and between 600 and 1,200 euros for legal persons.
For a repeated offense, a natural person faces a fine from 500 to 900 euros, for legal entities – from 800 to 1,500 euros.
