Display of St. George's ribbon is a criminal offense in Berlin

Ukrainian activists in Berlin hope that the Russians will not be allowed to use such symbols as the St. George ribbon.

This is stated in a statement by the Ukrainian association Vitsche Berlin, which is available to Ukrinform.

It notes that on May 6, a Berlin court suspended the ban issued by the police on May 5 on the use of Russian and Soviet flags and the St. George's ribbon during the events on May 8-9. Earlier, the court suspended the ban on the use of Ukrainian flags and symbols.

"We believe that the display of the St. George's ribbon is a criminal offense under current law, as it has been used since 2014 to justify and glorify Russia's attack on Ukraine. In addition, it distorts the memory of World War II and serves the Russian propaganda narrative of "Ukrainians as Nazis." Therefore, it is not surprising that the urgent application for Russian flags and St. George's ribbon came from Russian propagandist Elena Kolbasnikova and right-wing extremist lawyer and politician Markus Beisicht," the statement reads.

Read also: Activists in Berlin succeeded in lifting the ban on Ukrainian flags on May 8 and 9

Unlike the "Ukrainian case," the Berlin police have already filed a complaint with the Higher Administrative Court of Berlin-Brandenburg. Vitsche hopes that the court will review the use of the symbols of the Russian aggressor as soon as possible and will not allow it.

Last year, the Berlin authorities banned the use of both Ukrainian flags and symbols, including the performance of songs, and Russian ones. This year, to "preserve order," law enforcement officials decided to re-apply this requirement at the three largest places of commemoration of fallen Soviet soldiers. Vitsche filed an urgent complaint and succeeded in having the police ban lifted.

Author - Serhii Kolomiets, 08/05/2023