Kyiv police open investigation over Ukrainian flag desecration by Bloodhound Gang musicians
KYIV, Aug 5 (Interfax) - Kyiv's Pechersky district police department has opened a criminal case over to the Ukrainian flag desecration by members of the U.S. punk group Bloodhound Gang.
"Kyiv's Pechersky district police department has listed this incident in the single registry of pre-trial investigations under Ukrainian Criminal Code Article 338 Part 1 (desecration of Ukrainian national symbols) and Article 296 Part 1 (hooliganism). The pre-trial investigation is currently under way," Kyiv police spokesman Ihor Mykhalko told Interfax.
Under Ukrainian law, public desecration of the Ukrainian state flag, emblem or hymn can be punishable with a prison term of up to three years. If one is found guilty of hooliganism, one faces up to three years as well.
Ukrainian media has reported that the scandalous American rock group began its CIS tour in Ukraine. "A rock musician urinated on the stage, targeting the blue and white Ukrainian national flag" during a concert in Kyiv on July 30, but this action was met with amusement from the audience, media reports said.
The next day, bassist Jared Hasselhoff, 41, used the Russian flag as toilet paper at the Ibitsya club in Odessa. He threw the desecrated flag into the crowd, where it was caught by a fan.
The incidents were video-taped and posted on the Internet, after which the rock group's concert in southern Russia was cancelled, even though the musicians had been paid for it. They were pelted with tomatoes and eggs prior to their departure from the Anapa airport, and they were also attacked by Cossacks, one of whom wanted to strangle the bassist with an American flag. The flag was torn into pieces in front of the musicians after police intervened.
Although the rock group apologized, it had to leave Russia.
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said on Monday it was outraged with the actions of the U.S. musicians.