Police fined leader of "i am russian" movement

Title: Man Fined for Promoting Aggressive Symbolism on Vehicles

Today, an expedited decision was made to impose a fine on a 25-year-old man who led the initiative to affix stickers with the text “я русский” (I am russian) on vehicles.

The man repeatedly encouraged people to put labels on their vehicles with phrases such as “я русский,” “отдел по борьбе с нацизмом” (department for combating Nazism), “сила в правде” (strength in truth), and other symbols supporting aggression. The police penalized him with a fine of 500 euros for incitement to hatred. In the event that the man does not change his behavior and commits a similar violation, he may face criminal charges.

Raigo Prants, the head of the investigative unit at the Western Harju Police Station, explained that stickers with such messages and symbols, including the emblem of the Russian military, are provocative. Their goal is to divide society and create tension. “In a situation where Russia is waging a full-scale war against independent Ukraine, a sticker with such text is a declaration of support for the aggressor country,” said Prants. Russian propaganda employs these same messages to justify the war.

“Police do not prohibit anyone from expressing their national identity, but the purpose of these stickers is clearly to provoke. This is confirmed by the fact that we have received reports from disturbed individuals who have seen vehicles with these stickers in public spaces, and there have been instances of physical conflicts as well,” said the police officer.

The police encourage reporting the use of such symbols in public spaces by calling 112. The head of the investigative unit confirmed that any support for aggression and incitement to hatred is taken very seriously. “To prevent danger and conflicts, we ask people to remove provocative stickers. If someone refuses to remove the sticker, the police may do it themselves or tow the vehicle. In cases of using prohibited symbols, we initiate misdemeanor proceedings.”

If no complaint is filed, the expedited decision will take effect on October 17.