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Nikos Papadopoulos, a religious-fundamentalist lawmaker from the nationalist Niki party, has been released from custody after being held under guard at the National Gallery for vandalizing four artworks by Christophoros Katsadiotis.<\/p>\n
Had the prosecutor classified the act as a felony, specifically, aggravated damage, parliamentary immunity would not have applied, and he would have faced formal arrest. However, his actions were deemed a misdemeanor involving minor property damage.<\/p>\n
Earlier in the day, Papadopoulos damaged display cases and exhibits, which he described as blasphemous to Christianity. In a later statement, the MP claimed he had removed the paintings, but some \u201cslipped\u201d from his hands.<\/p>\n
\u201cI took down four sacrilegious images; two of them slipped from my hands as I turned, breaking their glass frames,\u201d Papadopoulos said.<\/p>\n
His lawyer later issued a statement arguing that his client had been unlawfully detained at the National Gallery.<\/p>\n
The National Gallery released an official statement condemning the attack:<\/p>\n
\u201cThe National Gallery\u2013Alexandros Soutzos Museum was attacked by Niki MP Nikos Papadopoulos, who, with the assistance of another individual, vandalized four artworks by Christophoros Katsadiotis,\u201d the statement read.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe unequivocally condemn any act of vandalism, violence, and censorship that undermines the constitutionally protected freedom of artistic expression,\u201d it concluded.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n