Man Waving Russian Flag at Berlin Victory Day Commemoration Arrested Despite Pre‑Announced Ban
Reflecto News | Breaking News | Germany
BERLIN — German police arrested a man on Saturday, May 9, 2026, after he waved a Russian flag near the Treptower Park Soviet War Memorial in Berlin during Victory Day commemorations – a clear violation of a pre‑announced city‑wide ban on Russian, Soviet, and Belarusian symbols.
The 81st anniversary of the Soviet Union‘s defeat of Nazi Germany has become a yearly flashpoint in Berlin. Since Russia’s full‑scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, authorities have tried to separate the historic act of liberation from contemporary political messages .
🚩 The Incident
Video circulating on social media shows an older man raising and waving the Russian tricolor flag in a crowd near the monument. Within moments, uniformed police officers approached, confiscated the flag, and physically restrained him while other visitors filmed the confrontation .
The man’s identity, age, and any possible charges have not been released by Berlin police. He was not identified as a veteran of World War II, which would have made him exempt from the ban .
The arrest took place on the second day of a city‑wide regulation that, since 2022, has strictly restricted the display of Russian and Soviet symbols at the three major Soviet memorials in Berlin: Treptower Park, Tiergarten (near the Brandenburg Gate), and Schönholzer Heide .
⚖️ The Ban
Berlin police had announced the restrictions on May 6, covering the period from 6:00 a.m. on May 8 to 10:00 p.m. on May 9 . The prohibited items included:
- Russian, Soviet, Belarusian and Chechen flags
- Military uniforms and insignia (including those marked with “Z” or “V”)
- St. George’s ribbons
- Portraits of Vladimir Putin, Alexander Lukashenko, and Ramzan Kadyrov
- Russian military marches and songs
- Maps or imagery showing occupied Ukrainian territories as part of Russia
The police order explicitly stated that the goal was to ensure a “dignified commemoration” and to prevent the events from being used as a platform to glorify Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine, which the Kremlin frames as a continuation of the fight against “Nazism” .
Exemptions were made for diplomats and for veterans of the Great Patriotic War, who are still allowed to wear their medals and, in some cases, uniforms .
📜 Political Reactions
The annual ban has drawn sharp criticism from Moscow and from some German politicians.
Russian Ambassador Sergey Nechayev called the restrictions an “unfriendly move” and said Berlin authorities “are once again distinguishing themselves” in a negative way. He noted that many other German cities do not impose such bans and allow the Immortal Regiment marches to proceed .
Gunnar Lindemann, a member of the Berlin House of Representatives, condemned the ban on performing Soviet songs and wearing awards, stating: “History cannot be rewritten, and prohibitions cannot change history either” .
However, Berlin police and the city government have consistently defended the measures, pointing to the direct link in Russian state propaganda between the 1945 victory and the current war in Ukraine .
🕊️ Contrasting Commemorations
While Russian symbols were banned near the memorials, Ukrainian flags were explicitly allowed – the result of a 2023 legal challenge by Ukrainian organizations in Germany . The contrast underscores Berlin’s attempt to honor the Soviet army‘s historic role while rejecting the Kremlin’s current political messaging.
The commemoration also took place against the backdrop of a three‑day ceasefire in Ukraine, brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump, which was set to expire on May 11 .
📋 Key Takeaways for Reflecto News Readers
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| What happened | A man was arrested in Berlin for waving a Russian flag at a Soviet war memorial on Victory Day. |
| Location | Treptower Park, Berlin. |
| The ban | Russian, Soviet, and Belarusian flags, military uniforms, “Z”/“V” symbols, St. George’s ribbons, portraits of Putin, etc., were prohibited from May 8–9 near the three main Soviet memorials. |
| Official justification | To prevent the commemoration from being used to glorify Russia’s war in Ukraine. |
| Exemptions | Diplomats and WWII veterans. |
| Political fallout | Russia called the move an “unfriendly step”; a Berlin politician said history cannot be rewritten. |
| Ukrainian symbols | Allowed (since 2023). |
| Ceasefire backdrop | The incident occurred during a Trump‑brokered three‑day ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine. |
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