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Policeman visits opposition activist in Homyel over Ukrainian flag flying over his house

A police officer visited an opposition activist in Homyel at his home on Tuesday, after allegedly receiving complaints from people unhappy that Belarus’ historically national flag and Ukraine’s state flag were flying over his house.

The white-red-white flag and the yellow-blue flag have been hanging on the roof of the house since this past March in a public show of support for Ukraine in its conflict with Russia.

“The police officer did not introduce himself,” Kanstantsin Zhukowski told BelaPAN. “He just said that some people had complained about ‘something to do with [WWII-era Ukrainian nationalist leader Stepan] Bandera over my roof. I asked for how many years the officer had studied in school, whether he knew who Bandera was and what flag our neighboring brotherly country Ukraine has. However, the policeman shouted, ‘Come out, let’s talk!’ I was outraged and replied that I’m a resident of Luhansk or Donetsk to ‘come out and talk.’ The officer then left.”

Mr. Zhukowski described such attitudes to Ukraine’s flag as insulting. “This is an affront to the Ukrainians and to me personally because I’m half-Ukrainian,” he said. “I’m ashamed of how ignorant some people can be.”