Three Riga Region Police Department officials are to be demoted for the handling of the situation at Victory Monument in Pārdaugava earlier this year – 10 May, as confirmed by State Police Public Relations spokesperson Simona Grāvīte.
One more official is retired from service.
She confirmed that among the four officials are officers who were previously suspended by Chief of State Police Armands Ruks.
Ruks suspended acting head of the police department, the commander of Public Order Police’s battalion one and one inspector. Grāvīte did not comment which of the officials in question have been demoted and which have been retired.
She also mentioned the internal investigation continues.
Despite the invitation to commemorate the victims of the Russian-Ukrainian war and not gather at Soviet memorials on 9 May, many people came to the monument in Pārdaugava, though in smaller numbers when compared to previous years.
Flowers residents had left at the monument were removed the next morning, which prompted a public outrage among Russian-speakers, who then came in larger numbers to the monument again on 10 May, bringing even more flowers. Those who remained in the vicinity of the monument until late in the evening, according to police reports, behaved aggressively and arrogantly. Some even glorified Russia and justified its aggression in Ukraine.
Previously the police explained in a statement to the press that the suspended police officers had failed to properly assess the situation and the tactic used to contain it was insufficient.
State Police stress that after assessing the situation, both State police and municipal police did not perform their duties in a way to immediately prevent violations of the law.
Certain officers did to respond actively enough to «the clear orders given to immediately put a stop to violations of the law and have the crowds of people dispersed».
This was done eventually, but only after the chief of State Police took charge.
After the whole scandal with Victory Monument and how the situation was handled by the police, then the Minister of the Interior Marija Golubeva left the government.