Despite the request to not gather, several dozen people came to the Soviet Victory Monument in Pārdaugava in the evening on Monday, 22 August. Five people were detained by police.
According to Latvian State Police, a total of five reports on violations of the Law on Meetings, Processions, and Pickets were composed. Two of the detainees resisted police.
Two other people are under investigation for hateful comments and behaviour.
Two people were caught piloting UAVs within the vicinity of the monument. An investigation has commenced and drones – confiscated.
Most of the people who came on Monday evening were simply curious, but there were also those who arrived to voice their active position in favour or against the monument’s demolition.
A crowd of older residents came to oppose the monument’s demolition. A much smaller group of youngsters carrying Latvia’s flags came to cheer the removal of the monument from Latvia’s soil.
Most of the people came because they were curious. There were also many mass media representatives.
Verbal conflicts between different groups of people were observed as well, but police did not intervene.
After 19:00 police started asking crowds to disperse, threatening with detainment if people refused.
Some of the people objected to the request to go home and were detained. After several people were detained, the remaining ones divided into smaller groups, some still actively protested.
Police took charge and kept the situation under control. Later on it was reported that the crowds dispersed and removed from Victory Park territory.
Latvian Minister of Defence Artis Pabriks praised the work of police on social media –
Šodien PSRS pieminekļa pakājē perfekts Latvijas policijas darbs. Nulle tolerance pret Krievijas imperiālo ambīciju aizstāvjiem! Paldies @Valsts_policija
— Artis Pabriks (@Pabriks) August 22, 2022
Latvian Minister of Foreign Affairs Edgars Rinkēvičs announced the following on social media –
Ja kāds ārvalstnieks (neatkarīgi no valstspiederības) tiks pieķerts pretlikumīgās un nesankcionētās darbībās pieminekļa Uzvaras parkā demontāžas laikā, viņš/a tiks iekļauts Latvijai nevēlamo personu sarakstā un izraidīts no valsts
— Edgars Rinkēvičs (@edgarsrinkevics) August 22, 2022
A number of police were stationed at the site – the corner of Bāriņu Street and Uzvaras Street. Police were also seen in other parts of the area.
Police also restricted pedestrian foot traffic on Bāriņu Street. Restrictions are concentrated around the Soviet Victory Monument – Victory Boulevard, Bāriņu Street, Vācieša Street and Hermaņa Street.
The monument itself has been fenced off for months and access to it remains restricted.
Police stress that they will continue monitoring pedestrian traffic around the site together with other services. «State Police is prepared to respond to any situations. Sufficient forces have been allocated to ensure public order,» the announcement stresses.
State Police stress – although the interest for the monument’s demolition is high, residents are asked to not cause security risks, not gather and not linger within the area.
«We would like to stress that in any suspicious situation and the slightest doubts about public order or security risks police is authorised to perform and ID check and search,» stresses State Police.
Residents are also invited to stay calm and not respond to provocative actions and avoid engaging in illegal activities.
Latvian Russians Union previously submitted a request to organise a rally in the evening on 22 August. The event was planned to take place at Victory Park, the area behind the monument.
Riga City Council refused to grant permission. LKS then decided to take this issue to court. The first hearing is scheduled for 24 August.
LKS co-chairman Miroslavs Mitrofanovs admits that no official protest will be held until a verdict has been reached. LKS asked people not to come to the monument.
He also said there are people who invite others ‘to go on a walk’ in other locations to voice their opinions this way.
State Security Service (VDD) estimates that provocations are entirely possible in Pārdaugava, including attempts by pro-Kremlin groups to interfere or stop the removal of the monument.
VDD continues following the situation with the monument’s expected removal.
Also read: Soviet monument in Pārdaugava to be toppled without using explosives