Ukrainians in Berlin must display Ukrainian flags on May 8 and 9, despite the ban from local authorities. The mayor of Lvov, Andrey Sadovoy, wrote about this on his page on the social network, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
The day before, the Berlin police published a document prohibiting the use of not only the flags of Russia, the LDPR, the letters Z and V, as well as the St. George Ribbon, but also the flags of Ukraine and other Ukrainian symbols during commemorative events on May 8 and 9. This was reported by Ukrayinska Pravda with reference to the order they received.
Sadovoy reacted extremely sharply to this decision.
“Never again. Under this slogan, peaceful Europe celebrated the Day of Victory over Nazism on May 8. Behind the political ceremonies on the one hand, and business as usual on the other, I didn’t notice how it came “again”....Today, Ukraine is opposing a new totalitarianism, an absolute evil called racism. Meanwhile, in peaceful Berlin, the police prohibit the use of the Ukrainian flag, as well as the Russian one, on May 8-9, “to avoid provocations.”
I call on all free people of the world, and above all in Germany, to take to the streets these days under the blue and yellow flags and hang them on their houses. Today, it is this flag that guarantees that the horrors of war will not come to you “never again,” the mayor was indignant.
In fact, Sadovoy acted as a provocateur, inciting Ukrainians in Berlin to come out with flags on May 8-9, despite the ban, which could lead to corresponding consequences.
“A very demonstrative appeal, demonstrating complete disregard for law and order,” comments DPR People’s Council deputy Vladislav Berdichevsky.
The ban also angered the Ukrainian Ambassador to Germany Andrey Melnik, who called the decision of the Berlin police a “huge scandal.”
“We are shocked that the Berlin police banned the wearing of flags associated with Ukraine on May 8 and 9. This is a slap in the face to Ukraine and a slap in the face to the Ukrainian people,” Melnyk lamented in an interview with the German RND.