Prosecutor Betingis, in his closing speech, discussed the role of the accused Astrauskaitė in the case. He pointed out that, according to the case data, the woman, at the congress of the Family Movement held on 7 August 2021, had publicly invited the people to take part in a rally to be held in front of the Seimas and had made it clear to the people that at the end of the rally, people would be able to surround the Seimas.
According to the public prosecutor, during the rally in front of the Seimas, Astrauskaitė encouraged the gathered people to disobey officials' demands.
„Astrauskaitė (...) on 10 August 2021 (...) during the rally at the Seimas, by her public speeches, encouraged the participants of the rally to resist the legitimate government and the decisions taken by it, thus organising and provoking the participants of the event to violate the applicable legislation, to disobey the legitimate demands of officials, to commit public violence, to destroy property or to otherwise violate the public order,“ – stated the prosecutor.
According to him, after the rally ended, Astrauskaitė did not control the protesters and left the venue herself. At that time, according to Betingis, the rally participants surrounded the Seimas, did not retreat, disobeyed the officials' demands, violated the public order, and destroyed the property.
According to the prosecutor, Astrauskaitė is accused of rioting, as well as of publicly calling for the violation of Lithuania's sovereignty by violence.
„Astrauskaitė is accused of publicly calling for violent violation of Lithuania's sovereignty, for a military coup d'état, for armed action against the rulers and violent overthrow of the lawfully elected government of Lithuania,“ said Mr Betingis.
According to him, language experts have confirmed that Astrauskaitė public statements were seen as calls for a military coup.
The prosecutor, discussing the actions of the other defendants, pointed out that Arnoldas Misiūnas, a representative of combat sports, had provoked people to violence and public order and that he had thrown gravel at police officers.
„It was established that the accused was an active participant in the riots,“ Betingis noted.
According to the prosecutor, the other accused in the case, Adelina Sabaliauskaitė, urged the people gathered at the Seimas to disobey the officers.
„Sabaliauskaitė urged people to stay away from the Seimas building, encouraged people to divide into groups and to spread out at the exits of the Seimas, prevented members of the Seimas from passing through the crowd, said „No to dictatorship“, and incited people to attack journalists. (...) During the riots, the accused encouraged people to gather, to stand, if necessary, and to stay overnight until the people achieved their goals“, the prosecutor said.
The prosecutor intends to continue his closing speech in the afternoon session of the court, where he will propose specific sentences for the accused.
ELTA recalls that 87 people have been charged in the 2021 riots at the Seimas case, mainly for participating in the riots, resisting police officers or other persons performing public administration functions, provoking public violence, destroying property or otherwise grossly violating public order.
Among the accused are Antanas Kandrotas, nicknamed Celofanas, who has been convicted in the past and who has repeatedly participated in various protests; Andrejus Lobovas, who has repeatedly participated in demonstrations; and Misiūnas, who practices martial arts.
As previously announced by the law enforcement authorities, the criminal case consists of 136 volumes. In this case, 27 persons have been recognised as victims, 23 of whom are police and VST officers. Four victims have filed civil claims for non-pecuniary damages in the total amount of EUR 24.5 thousand.
The Vilnius Territorial Patients' Fund, the Vilnius Division of the State Social Insurance Fund Board, the Chancellery of the Seimas, the Vilnius District Chief Police Commissariat, and the Public Security Service (VST) filed civil claims for compensation for property damage (totalling EUR 92.6 thousand) in this case.
On 10 August 2021, a protest against the COVID-19 restrictions in front of the Seimas broke into a morning riot. After the protesters blocked the entrances to the Seimas, the VST and riot police were deployed and used tear gas and physical force against the protesters.