BERLIN May 9, 2026 – German police detained a man Saturday after he waved a Russian flag during Victory Day commemorations at a Soviet war memorial in the German capital.
Video footage shared widely on social media shows an older man raising and waving the Russian tricolor flag amid a crowd. Officers in “POLIZEI” vests quickly approached, seized the flag, and physically restrained him as onlookers filmed the confrontation. The incident is believed to have taken place near the Treptower Park Soviet War Memorial, one of Berlin’s main sites honoring Red Army soldiers who died in World War II.
The arrest follows a pre-announced police order banning Russian, Soviet, and Belarusian flags, along with related symbols such as the letters “Z” and “V,” St. George’s ribbons, military uniforms, and portraits of Russian, Belarusian, or Chechen leaders. The restrictions applied to the areas around three major Soviet memorials — Treptower Park, Tiergarten, and Schönholzer Heide — from 6 a.m. on May 8 until 10 p.m. on May 9. Similar measures have been enforced annually since 2022 to prevent the historical commemorations from being used to express support for Russia’s military actions in Ukraine or to provoke public disorder.
Victory Day on May 9 marks the 81st anniversary of the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany in the Great Patriotic War. In Berlin, annual ceremonies at the Soviet memorials honor the Red Army’s role in the defeat of Nazism, particularly its capture of the city in 1945. Russian authorities and supporters view the day as a sacred commemoration, while German officials have stressed that current bans target only symbols tied to the ongoing war in Ukraine, not the historical victory itself.
No details about the man’s identity, age, or any charges have been released by Berlin police. In previous years, similar incidents led to confiscations of flags and ribbons, with some individuals briefly detained.
The event has drawn sharp reactions online, with many highlighting the irony of authorities in the former Nazi capital restricting symbols linked to the army that helped liberate Berlin. Others defend the police action as necessary to maintain order amid heightened geopolitical tensions.
Berlin police deployed extra officers around the memorials this weekend to enforce the rules and ensure public safety during the commemorations.
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