Estonia bans symbols of occupation

Estonia has banned all symbols from the times of the country's occupation, including Soviet symbols like the hammer and sickle. The ban has triggered protests in Russia. Hanno Pevkur notes that Estonia is not the first country to take such action, pointing out that the swastika, SS and other Nazi symbols are banned in Germany. "The list of banned symbols could go on forever. It only proves that anyone who wants to spread hate will always be able to find another symbol, but now he can be punished for it. It's obvious why the symbols of occupation were singled out in Estonia: this is the best way to use historic reasons to incite hatred in the country – at least when it is expressed in public. Anyone can wear a T-shirt with the words CCCP written on it on the street, but if they start to praise the occupation in public, they risk punishment."

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