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Investigators Suspect Vandalized Art Exhibit of Having Incited Hatred

Visitors to the vandalized exhibit Sunday were greeted with an empty plinth and sign saying the missing item had been damaged due to illegal actions.

The Investigative Committee has launched an inspection into an exhibit at the Manezh that was attacked by Orthodox activists last month on suspicion that the works of an eminent late sculptor had incited hatred and humiliated believers, the RBC news agency reported Sunday.

"The Sculptures We Don't See" exhibit was vandalized on Aug. 14 by members of God's Will, an ultraconservative right-wing movement led by self-proclaimed "missionary" Dmitry "Enteo" Tsorionov. A month later he was charged with petty hooliganism and imprisoned for 10 days, two of his allies were fined 1,000 rubles ($15) and one was sentenced to five days in jail.

RBC cited unidentified officials as saying the objects on show at the Manezh — which included several by the internationally acclaimed late sculptor Vadim Sidur — could have incited hatred and humiliated religious believers.

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