Homel activist faced reprisal threats for Ukrainian flag

The unknown have attacked an activist of “Our Alternative” coalition Kanstantsin Zhukouski.

On May 2 at about 9 p.m. three unknown persons broke into the private house of an activist of “Our Alternative” coalition Kanstantsin Zhukouski and threatened with violence for the Ukrainian flag hoisted on his roof. The activist ran up the flag over his house in early March in solidarity with the Ukrainian nation. A white-red-white flag is waving next to it.

“In the evening the unknown started to knock on the wicket-gate, they tried to force their entry into the yard and used offensive terms. My wife and daughter were frightened by the noise. Out of the window I asked these people what they wanted. In response I heard threats, they said: go outside, we are going to kill you, remove this rag from the roof, we do not like this flag. They were shouting something about Crimea, Bandera, Maidan and all that. One of them was shouting that two of his grandfathers died during the [Second World] war, though he was in his forties,” Zhukouski told to BelaPAN.

He called out police. “They continued to curse and utter threats in the presence of policemen. Policemen called in a car to take away the hooligans to the police department and investigate the incident. I didn’t join them, as I had a child at home. The outcome is not clear yet. I explained both to the policemen and the attackers that such behavior results in fascism. Today they do not like the Ukrainian flag, tomorrow they do not like the colour of somebody’s eyes, and the day after tomorrow concentration camps appear,” the activist added.

There haven’t been any complaints from anyone over the two months when the house of Kanstantsin Zhukouski was adorned by the Ukrainian flag.