RHODES, Greece – Two Swedish teenagers found themselves in hot water on the sunny island of Rhodes after attempting a social media stunt that involved taking down the Greek flag from the front of a police station. Their ill-conceived escapade quickly escalated into a legal showdown.
The 19-year-olds, enjoying their holiday on the Aegean island, decided that removing the national symbol would make for great online content. However, their late-night prank on Saturday was cut short when local authorities caught them in the act. The duo was promptly arrested and whisked off to court.
Facing charges of disrespecting a national symbol, the teenagers were found guilty but managed to avoid jail time. The court handed them suspended sentences of six and seven months, respectively. Their youthful exuberance and apologies likely played a role in the leniency of their punishment.
Local news outlet Rodiaki reported that the teens were under the influence of alcohol during their antics and were filming the entire episode for social media. In court, they expressed remorse, admitting to their drunken state and poor judgment.
While their intent was to garner likes and laughs online, the incident serves as a sobering reminder of the consequences of such pranks, especially when they involve national symbols and international laws.
