A man carried out a series of small arson-related attacks against state institutions in Vilnius on Sunday morning before being detained by authorities.
Police reported that four incidents took place within just over an hour.
The first attack involved setting fire to temporary wooden structures and protective fabric sheeting on the first floor of the Prosecutor General’s Office.
Next, the man set fire to the entrance doors of a shared stairwell in a three-story building in central Vilnius, followed by a garbage container that he dragged to the entrance of the State Child Rights Protection and Adoption Service.
Finally, he set fire to the doors of the Defence Ministry.
Police confirmed the arrest of a man born in 1984 on suspicion of these offences. He was found to have a blood alcohol content of 0.063 percent.
Defence Minister Laurynas Kasčiūnas described the incident as an act of vandalism, but not sabotage.
“These arsons are interconnected; the vandalism occurred essentially at the same time,” the minister told reporters. “All scenarios are being considered, but the initial assessment suggests this is hooliganism by an inadequate, intoxicated person.”
“It doesn’t seem like this is some kind of sabotage, an act inspired by external forces,” he added.
Newsletter
Every Friday morning.
