On Tuesday, 23 August, no major incidents were observed at Victory Park in Riga. Nevertheless, at the same time multiple people and different sources publicly invited people to gather for an unsanctioned rally in the vicinity of Victory Park in the evening.
Shortly before 21:00 p.m. an influx of residents was observed. Several dozen people with different opinions gathered. Individual confrontations took place. Police detained a total of 14 people, as confirmed by Latvian State Police.
Police report that a conflict broke out among a group of people at 21:00 p.m. Police will determine the cause of the conflict during an investigation.
14 people refused to comply with requests from the police to disperse and were detained.
Uzvaras parka apkārtnē zcelās asāka vārdu apmaiņa, kas izvērsās fiziskā konfrontācijā. Vīrietis mēģināja atņemt telefonu otrai personai, tikmēr dažas personas apgalvoja, ka tika iesists bernam, kas nav patiesība. Šeit video. @Valsts_policija pic.twitter.com/q2YpGY2Lwj
— Jānis Pelcis 🇱🇻🇪🇺🇺🇦 (@Janis_Pelcis) August 23, 2022
Police remind that this week there are increased risks of confrontations between groups of people who have opposing views on the situation with the monument.
So far there have been several situations when people provoked and intentionally engaged in conflicts based on national views and emotions.
Photos published on social media also show Latvian MEP Tatyana Zhdanok in the vicinity of the monument.
Laipnais policists: Ždanokas kundze, stacija ir tur! pic.twitter.com/d16bAoBzTd
— Jānis Iesalnieks 🇱🇻 #StandWithUkraine 🇺🇦 (@JanisIesalnieks) August 23, 2022
Latvian police point of that such behaviour creates additional security risks. Any escalation will be used by the aggressor. Security services record all such cases. Each individual situation will be evaluated separately. Authorities will focus on people’s motivation and goals they wish to accomplish with such behaviour.
Latvian State Police once again urge residents to not come and not gather at Victory Park and avoid provocations!
12 vatņiki aizturēti. Lai jauka naksniņa! pic.twitter.com/gMOSqTHoEJ
— Ainis Sproģis 🇱🇻♥️🇺🇦🇵🇱 (@ainissprogis) August 23, 2022
Authorities are prepared to respond to conflicts and problematic situations. The situation at Victory Park is under control, police explain.
On 23 August three statues of the memorial complex were demolished.
Pirmais zaldāts zemē!! pic.twitter.com/jHOOJzBmOy
— Elvis Meisters (@ElvisMeisters) August 23, 2022
Foreign media have also taken notice of the way people react to the demolition of the monument in Pārdaugava.
Russian protesters accuse the Latvian state of fascism for dismantling an 80-meter-high monument in Riga glorifying the Red Army.
A number of aggressive Russian protesters have been detained. pic.twitter.com/0rrn2T6wbm
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) August 23, 2022
Paldies @Valsts_policija un @Valsts_drosiba par profesionālo darbu šajās dienās, tā turpināt!
— Edgars Rinkēvičs (@edgarsrinkevics) August 23, 2022
In the morning on Wednesday, 24 August, dismantling of the statue of the woman commenced at the Soviet monument demolition site.