Police launches criminal case over desecration of Russian flag

Police have opened a criminal case over the desecration of a Russian flag by a musician from US rock group Bloodhound Gang at a concert in Odessa, Interior Ministry sources told Itar-Tass on Monday. Article 329 of the Russian Criminal Code (Desecration of the National Emblem of the Russian Federation or the State Flag of the Russian Federation) envisages up to one year in jail. During a performance by Bloodhound Gang in the Ukrainian port of Odessa on Wednesday, Jared Hasselhoff crammed a Russian flag inside his pants and literally wiped his behind with it, according to a video posted on YouTube. The band’s scheduled appearance at the KUBANA 2013 festival near the southern Russian city of Anapa was cancelled. The musicians were led away through the back-door entrance, but the angry audience still managed to throw tomatoes and eggs at them. Their performance was cancelled. Anapa police questioned the musician and referred materials to the city prosecutor’s office.