Why a Russian woman was interrogated by cops for wearing a yellow jacket against blue sky

Antonida Smolina is a Russian journalist who wore a yellow jacket against a blue sky. (Image: @Fbeyeee/X)

The boundaries of political expression in Russia were pushed to new extremes as a journalist found herself under police scrutiny for an unexpected reason: the colour of her clothes. Antonida Smolina, a 38-year-old journalist from Veliky Ustyug, was interrogated by law enforcement officials after she posted pictures of herself wearing a yellow down jacket on social media.

The innocuous act of donning the jacket against a backdrop of a vaguely blue sky led to accusations of promoting the colours of Ukraine, an act deemed to be discrediting to President Vladimir Putin's government and military.

"A district police officer came to me," recounted Smolina, describing the encounter. "He said that a certain Valery P wrote a statement against me to the police." The accusation levelled against her was that the colour of her jacket evoked associations with enemy symbols, thereby undermining the state's authority.

However, Smolina, in her defense, pointed out that her jacket's colour was more accurately described as "Crayola," emphasizing the absurdity of the situation.

The incident highlights the chilling effect of draconian laws in Russia, where even the choice of clothing can be subject to political interpretation. Social media users quickly responded with mockery, pointing out the absurdity of associating everyday objects with political subversion.

One commenter sarcastically noted, "Yellow is banned? The rainbow is banned? The triumph of greyness." Another quipped, "The next step is to ban the yellow sun against the blue sky. This is enemy symbolism."

Smolina expressed concern over the stifling atmosphere of political paranoia. "The post that so offended Valery P has nothing to do with politics, but politics is killing the souls of my fellow countrymen," she lamented.

Despite the pressure, she remains resolute, insisting that she changed her jacket only due to seasonal considerations, not because of the complaint against her.