Yabloko Candidate Targeted Over 2015 Motörhead Photo
A candidate for the Russian State Duma from the Yabloko party, Dmitry Smirnov, faces removal from the ballot due to a 2015 photo of Motörhead's Lemmy Kilmister wearing a German cross, which opponents claim is extremist symbolism. The case will be heard by the Nizhny Novgorod Regional Court on September 7.
Consensus
- The Nizhny Novgorod Regional Court will hear a case on September 7 regarding the removal of Dmitry Smirnov from the State Duma election ballot.
- The case was initiated by Alexey Rizovatov, a candidate from the Pensioners' Party.
- The basis for the lawsuit is a photo posted by Smirnov in December 2015 on VKontakte showing Lemmy Kilmister with a German cross.
- Smirnov was issued a protocol for 'demonstrating extremist symbolism' based on the photo.
- Smirnov claims the cross depicted is a pre-Nazi Prussian award, not a Nazi symbol.
- The same legal action has been taken against two other Yabloko candidates: Anna Shatunovskaya-Byurno and Grigory Grishin.
- The photo was posted after Lemmy Kilmister's death on December 29, 2015.
Points of divergence
- Smirnov was called to the election commission for a 'conversation' after receiving the lawsuit, where officials from the Center 'E' informed him about the protocol. — novaya_eu
- Smirnov believes the Center 'E' used a special program to detect the photo, despite it being posted over ten years ago. — novaya_eu
- The photo shows Lemmy Kilmister as the bass guitarist and vocalist of Motorhead. — tg_sotavisionmedia
- The photo was posted in connection with the musician's death. — novaya_eu
Coverage (4 sources)
- Candidate for the State Duma from the 'Yabloko' party in Nizhny Novgorod is to be removed from the elections due to a photo of Motörhead group leader from ten years ago — Новая газета Европа
- Candidate of the 'Yabloko' Party in Nizhny Novgorod to be removed from elections due to photo of Motorhead vocalist — SOTAvision
- Candidate of the 'Yabloko' Party in the State Duma wants to remove from elections due to published in 2015 photo of Motörhead leader Lemmy — Дождь
- Candidate of the 'Yabloko' Party in the State Duma wants to be removed from elections due to a 2015 photo of Motörhead leader Lemmy — Дождь (Telegram)
Key entities
- Apple
- Motörhead
- State Duma
- Dmitry Smirnov
- Lemmy Kilmister
- Party of Pensioners
- Nizhny Novgorod
- Nizhny Novgorod Regional Court
- Motorhead
- VKontakte
- Alexey Rizovatov
- Telegram
- GD
More on Dmitry Smirnov
- Courts remove three Yabloko candidates from Duma race
- Court removes Yabloko leader from State Duma race
- Yabloko Candidate Fined Over Motörhead Post