Yaroslav Popelka, convicted of calling for an anti-government demonstration in Prague to tear down the Ukrainian flag from the facade of the National Museum, failed to file a complaint against the verdict in The Constitutional Court. This is reported by local media.
It is reported that Popelka tried to challenge the suspended sentence and the ban on staying in Prague, to which he was sentenced for inciting mass riots. He interprets the Ukrainian flag as "an illegal expression of support for the fascist regime." In the complaint that the activist tried to file in According to the Constitutional Court, he "did not commit a crime and only exercised his right to protest." At the same time, he believes that he has committed "maximum misconduct", and stated that "he does not consider it advisable to hang the flag of a foreign state on the National Museum." According to him, he "rejects violence."
In turn, in a brief resolution, the judges of the Constitutional Court indicated that Yaroslav Popelka "tried to relativize his actions," but his reasoning cannot absolve him of guilt. In this regard, the court considers the verdict to be in accordance with the Constitution, and the complaint to be unfounded.
Recall that Yaroslav Popelka in March 2023, at an anti-government demonstration on Prague's Wenceslas Square, called for tearing down the Ukrainian flag from the facade of the National Museum. The District Court of Prague-1 sentenced him to imprisonment for a period of 4 months with a delay of 1.5 years. He was also banned for 18 months from coming to Prague. Later, the Supreme Court ruled in the case, which confirmed the verdict of the Prague court, according to which Popelka called on demonstrators to riot. In addition, in 2023, he was charged with another charge of incitement due to calls to "defenestrate" (throw out windows) Ukrainian flags, tearing them off Czech buildings. He sent out appeals by e-mail. Popelka was acquitted of this charge. Once again, the activist appeared in court for violating a court injunction against entry into Prague. Now Popelka will have to spend two months in prison.