Ukrainian flag ban lifted by German court

Berlin police had restricted the use of the national symbol near Soviet memorials during WWII Victory Day celebrations. A Berlin administrative court has lifted the police ban on the displaying of Ukrainian flags, as well as the playing and singing of Ukrainian military songs near Soviet memorials. The ban on Russian flags remains in place. Kiev's diplomats and the local Ukrainian community condemned the ban, but Vitsche, an organization of Ukrainians living in Germany, challenged the ban and won the case on Friday evening. Patrick Heinemann, the lawyer for the Ukrainian group, argued that police "lacked any evidence to assume a threat to public safety" resulting from the display of the flag.