The Sverdlovsk Region Investigative Committee has opened a criminal case against a man who confronted and insulted a schoolboy because of his hat bearing the letter Z. The incident is being reviewed by the regional press office within the investigations department.
According to the investigators, the suspect committed hooliganism against a boy born in 2011 with malicious intent in a residential building on Volgogradskaya Street in Yekaterinburg on April 21, as stated by the Regional Investigative Committee. The case is being pursued under Part 1 of Article 213 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, which covers hooliganism. Penalties under this article can include a fine of up to 500,000 rubles, corrective labor for up to two years, or a prison sentence of up to five years.
A report on the Yekaterinburg portal E1 recounts that the incident occurred last Friday near house number 35 on Volgogradskaya Street. An 11-year-old boy wearing a black hat with the letter Z emerged from the entrance as two men nearby were moving furniture. One of the men reacted angrily to the symbol on the hat, grabbing the boy by the hand and directing a volley of curses toward him. The confrontation briefly collided with the camera lens at the entrance for a moment of public record.
The suspect allegedly urged the boy to remove the hat and even suggested placing it on his own body in an obscene manner while telling the boy to call his parents, whom he insultingly labeled as ignorant. A companion leaving the building asked for context, and the accused responded with vulgar remarks about the boy wearing a hat marked with the letter Z. When the companion attempted to justify the child’s parents’ choice of attire, the suspect continued to escalate the confrontation.
The boy’s mother stated that her son attended a teacher that day and was in the fifth grade. She said her son managed to break free from the man’s grasp, yet the individual continued to hurl profanities behind him. She noted that her son returned home distressed and shaken, describing the encounter as terrifying and upsetting for him.
The mother added that she filed a police report because she feared for her child’s safety. She described the police as reluctant to take the statement, asking whether a weapon was involved. She expressed deep concern for her family, highlighting the uncertainty and risk posed by what she viewed as a growing threat in their neighborhood, especially with many people behaving irresponsibly in public spaces.
According to the family, the boy’s father is a soldier currently serving in a special operations zone in Ukraine. The police eventually accepted the report, and the Investigative Committee became involved as the incident spread across social media and drew media attention.
On April 25, the regional department of internal affairs reported that a 56-year-old man had been located and detained. Detectives, with the help of OMON special forces from the regional National Guard, conducted the operation to arrest him. A police spokesperson described the suspect as someone who previously worked in construction, with no prior convictions or psychiatric registration, and claimed no known connection to the boy’s family. The spokesperson termed the involvement of OMON a standard procedural step in such cases.
Subsequently, a video surfaced showing the detainee apologizing to the boy and his family. In the clip, the man states that he gave the child a wrong explanation, offering a sincere, heartfelt apology and admitting remorse for his actions.
Throughout the ongoing investigation, authorities are examining the circumstances surrounding the incident, including the motivations behind the alleged hooliganism and the broader impact on the victim and the community. The case highlights concerns about safety, public conduct, and the handling of hate-driven misconduct in urban areas, as investigators work to determine appropriate accountability and protective measures for minors in similar situations.