Euroasian Jewish News

SBU uncovers hooligan who fouled Holocaust memorial

SBU jointly with the National Police uncovered a vandal who befouled Holocaust victims commemorative stela in Holovanivsk, Kirovohrad region. The criminal painted Nazi swastika and anti-Semitic inscriptions on the memorial complex built at the place of Nazi execution of 900 Jews during the WWII.

During the investigative actions law enforcement established that one of the representatives of the Kyiv art circles is a fanatic of swastikas and runes used by Nazi. Using his private buildings in Kyiv centre behind the high fence, he produced different Nazi and pagan symbols from metal. The offender placed such symbols in his residence, frontage, on the fence, in child’s room and on the domestic items.

During the sanctioned searches at offender’s residence SBU found evidence of purposeful preparation to vandalising Jewish cultural sites. SBU officers found almost thirty metal fylfots made by offender in his workshop, maps of Kirovohrad and Mykolaiv regions with marks of objects for the future acts of vandalism, aerosol sprays of grey and black colours identical to those used for desecrating of Jewish memorial.

The officers also seized hard drives and papers with anti-Semitic data, as well as an electric saw for engraving swastikas on memorials. The seized items were sent for further examination.

The criminal received a notice of suspicion in committing a crime stipulated under Part 1 Art 161 (“Violation of citizens’ equality based on their race, nationality or religious preferences”) and Part 3 Art 297 (“Violation of graves, any other burial place”) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

The investigative actions concerning the offender’s involvement in recent vandalism acts on the Holocaust monuments in Mykolaiv region are under way.

SSU