Riga Eastern Prosecution Office’s Prosecutor has submitted a criminal case to Riga City Court concerning criminal charges against the man who damaged the tactile model of Latvia’s Freedom Monument in Riga. According to the prosecution, in the evening on the 4th of December 2023, the suspect intentionally and forcefully tore off the obelisk portion of the monument model.
Officers of Latvian State Police later apprehended the suspect on the 15th of December based on information regarding his likeness based on witness reports and camera footage.
The suspect was placed under arrest on the next day, as reported by the prosecution office.
The suspect testified that he broke the tactile model of the monument on accident. According to him he accidentally shoved it while taking a photo. After being presented with charges, however, the man changed his mind and admitted his guild. He refused to testify and did not explain his motive in damaging the model.
Because the value of the tactile Freedom Monument is above EUR 31 000, the man was charged with causing intentional and considerable damage to someone else’s property.
A crime like that is punishable with a prison sentence of three months to ten years with or without probational period of one to three years.
The man has a prior criminal record of various crimes. He was released from prison less than a month before the incident with the tactile Freedom Monument’s model.
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Tactile Freedom Monument damaged by a “criminal with experience”. Faces 10 years in prison
