The PPA said the individual, a 51-year-old male, who had put up the sign, refused to remove it when asked and became aggressive towards the officers initially on the scene. For this reason, PPA backup was called.

Operational chief of the PPA's Northern Prefecture Vaiko Vaher told ERR that shortly after 1:15 p.m. Tuesday, the authority received a call out to Suure-Laagri tänav in Kalamaja.

The caller reported that a sign bearing the English-language message "F*ck Israel" had been placed in a window in clear view to the public. The house is opposite a kindergarten.

An initial patrol who attended the scene judged it necessary to call in the PPA field leader, while a third patrol car subsequently arrived at the address. A Rescue Board (Päästeamet) truck was also called out to aid in removing the placard, after the man refused to do so.

"The patrol responded to the scene and the officers repeatedly tried to persuade the man to take the placard down himself, but the 51-year-old man refused to do so. The man tried to withdraw from the conversation, and when officers asked him not to leave, he became aggressive, and pushed a police officer. During his detention, the man spat in the direction of a police officer," Vaher said.

"The placard was on the second floor, so the police asked the Rescue Board for assistance with a ladder, to remove the obscene poster," Vaher went on.

"Every person can express their opinion, but this must be done peacefully, respectfully and without using obscenities," Vaher added.

Video filmed by a local resident circulated on social media showing a police van, several PPA officials, a fire truck and a Tallinn ambulance all at the site. Delfi reported the video has since been removed from social media.

Vaher said the PPA has initiated misdemeanor proceedings relating to insulting a representative of a public authority.

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