Investigation after 'Nazi monkey' appears in Russian circus

[Whitebear]

Investigation after 'Nazi monkey' appears in Russian circus

Russian prosecutors have launched an investigation after a monkey wearing a Nazi uniform performed at a state circus.

The show also featured goats wrapped in Nazi flags with swastikas, according to the Russian news website Znak.

The performance was part of a show at the Udmurtia Circus in the city of Izhevsk on 8 January.

It was commissioned by the Russian Orthodox Church, which said the show symbolised the "spurning" of Nazism.

In a statement, prosecutors said they first became aware of the performance while monitoring the internet and have since launched "an investigation into the display of Nazi symbols".

Russian law forbids public displays of Nazi symbols.

The Orthodox Church, meanwhile, has defended the performance. It said the show was intended to be "a symbol of not just the victory over fascism, but also of the spurning and the global condemnation of the ideals of Nazi Germany".

The Church insists it is covered by an exemption signed by President Vladimir Putin in March 2020. The exemption allows the display of Nazi symbols providing they "create a negative attitude to Nazi ideology".

The monkey and the goats were commanded by trainers wearing Soviet uniforms during the show, Church officials said.

Nazi monkey and swastika-wearing goats at Russian circus spark fury and criminal probe