From denial of the occurrence of anti-Jewish excesses to demanding severe punishment for those guilty of perpetrating the excesses at Slobodka was the swift swing of the Lithuanian official government organ, “Lietuvas.”
In an editorial published yesterday the “Lietuvas” devotes much space to the Slobodka occurrences and demands the severe punishment of those guilty.
The newspaper states that the director of police, Staschkewitch, was dismissed from his post because he did not take sufficient measures to safeguard the population.
In Jewish circles this announcement has caused some surprise as Staschkewitch has been known as a friend of the Jews and it is believed that his dismissal has no connection with the Slobodka occurrences, since he returned on August 1 from his vacation, while the attacks were prepared during his absence. The representation of his dismissal as having connection with these occurrences is viewed here as a gesture of the government to whitewash its reputation.
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