Governor Defends Girl After Playground Drawing Controversy
A 14-year-old girl in Bolохovo, Tula Oblast, faced potential legal action for drawing 'Smeshariki' characters on a playground, prompting widespread public backlash and intervention from regional authorities, including Governor Dmitry Milayev, who urged authorities to stop pressuring the child.
Consensus
- A 14-year-old girl drew 'Smeshariki' characters on a children's playground in Bolохово, Tula Oblast.
- The local administration reported the drawing to the police, alleging vandalism and intentional damage to municipal property.
- The girl's parents and the public criticized the authorities' response as excessive and absurd.
- Governor Dmitry Milayev intervened, urging authorities to stop pressuring the girl and supporting her creative expression.
- The girl attempted to remove the drawings with a sponge and water, but they did not come off.
- The drawings were made with dry pastel on rubberized playground surface, which proved resistant to cleaning.
- The local administration warned that comments criticizing them online could lead to administrative liability.
- The situation sparked significant public reaction on social media, with widespread support for the girl.
Points of divergence
- The regional ombudsman Yana Lantratova also intervened, calling on authorities not to punish the girl and emphasizing that children's drawing is not vandalism. — tvrain
- The administration claimed the playground surface is for child safety, not for artistic expression, and that the drawings were made with non-authorized materials. — fontanka
- The governor mentioned a separate case involving a 14-year-old from Tver Oblast convicted for preparing a firebomb attack on a Ministry of Defense building, which is unrelated to the incident. — vedomosti
- The governor demanded that Bolохovo authorities cease pursuing the girl, using the phrase 'Leave the child alone!' — tg_bazabazon
Coverage (14 sources)
- Governor of Tula region supported girl because of Smeshariki drawing on playground — РИАМО
- Governor Milyaev called a girl who drew Smeshariki on the playground — Вести
- «Stop interfering with the child!» The governor of the Tula region came to the defense of a girl after a post by «Baza» — «For «Smeshariki» — an article»… — Baza
- Yukhnoy Chekhovs'koye Shtabnoe Razvedennoye Otdeleniye — РИАМО
- Ombudsman: Milyaev called to stop attempts to pursue the girl because of a drawing — Вести
- Tula governor stands up for a girl threatened with criminal charges over a drawing on a playground — Дождь
- Head of Tula region called on "stop" the girl who drew Smeshariki — Ведомости
- «Honeybee, sting me!» Why Tula officials attacked a girl over Smeshariki and what it ended with — Фонтанка
- Governor urged not to take the story about the drawing in Bolkhovo to absurdity — Коммерсантъ
- Scandal with 'Smeshariki' in Tula region: how the region's head reacted — Вечерняя Москва
- Make sure local authorities direct their efforts in the right direction! — РИА Новости (Telegram)
- Simonian addressed the Bolokhovo administration that published a photo of a child — Вести
- Tula governor on scandal with Smeshariki: Stop the child! — Вести
- Milov addressed Bolokhovo authorities after threats over children's drawings — Вести
Key entities
- Bolokhovo
- Tula Oblast
- Dmitry Milyaev
- Moscow
- RT
- Yana Lantaratova
- Smeshariki
- Russia
- Margarita Simonian
- Bases
- Kireevsky District
- Bolohova
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