A criminal case has been opened against a man who allegedly insulted a boy wearing a hat with the letter Z, according to officials in the Sverdlovsk Region. The information was reported by the telegraph channel TASS and confirms that investigators are pursuing the matter, though the specific article of the criminal code cited in the case was not disclosed.
Earlier, the press service of the Main Directorate of the Sverdlovsk Region Ministry of Internal Affairs noted that administrative proceedings under the offense of hooliganism, initiated by police, were terminated. This update suggests that authorities are pursuing a more serious line of inquiry rather than proceeding with administrative penalties alone.
The incident reportedly took place on April 21, 2023, near a residence on Volgogradskaya Street in Yekaterinburg. On April 25, reports indicate that the suspect, born in 1966, remained in Yekaterinburg at the time, and he allegedly directed insults at a minor because of the Z symbol on the boy’s hat.
According to the regional Ministry of Internal Affairs, the accused expressed remorse and apologized to the boy. The ministry also stated that officers from the regional National Guard, including personnel affiliated with OMON, were involved in the operation to detain him. The development underscores the authorities’ coordinated response to offenses connected with symbolic or provocative acts, especially when minors are involved.
The case remains under investigation, with officials indicating ongoing scrutiny of the circumstances surrounding the incident and potential charges beyond the initially reported hooliganism framework. The interplay between police action, administrative proceedings, and criminal initiation reflects the careful approach taken by regional authorities to address acts that target vulnerable individuals and to determine the appropriate legal response.