Dozens of incidents unfolded across Latvia during May 9 commemorations, drawing a strong response from law enforcement. Authorities intensified monitoring as tensions resurfaced around historical memory and public expression.
As of 20:00, law enforcement officers have initiated 66 administrative proceedings related to the glorification of the Soviet army. Of these, 37 cases were recorded in the digital environment, and another 29 in public places.
Most violations involve the use of symbols that glorify military aggression and war crimes, particularly in public spaces.
Detentions in different cities
In Ventspils, a man was detained for wearing a St. George ribbon and refusing to present identification documents. In Salaspils, another man was detained for being heavily intoxicated and disturbing public order.
In Liepāja, law enforcement officers detained a man who, while intoxicated, behaved aggressively: he used obscene language, disturbed public peace, and mocked Latvia’s support for Ukraine. He also failed to comply with lawful police orders, resulting in four separate administrative proceedings being initiated against him.
Incidents in Riga and Daugavpils
In Riga and Daugavpils, cases were recorded where individuals attempted to lay flowers at sites of dismantled Soviet monuments. Such actions are regarded as glorifying military aggression, and administrative proceedings have also been initiated against the offenders.
In Uzvaras Park in Riga, police detained a man who brought flowers to the site where a monument to Soviet soldiers stood until 2022. He was taken to a police vehicle.
Violations and symbolism
In the Riga region, several cases of the use of prohibited symbols were identified – including images of the Russian coat of arms, the word “Russia,” and St. George ribbons. One man in the area of the memorial in Salaspils received two administrative reports for such violations.
In Daugavpils, a man born in 1981, while intoxicated, played a song glorifying military aggression through a portable speaker. In Riga, at the Pļavnieki cemetery, another man played from his car a composition glorifying the Red Army.
Additionally, two cases were recorded of individuals being in public places in a state of severe alcohol intoxication – up to five and two promille – near memorial sites in Salaspils.
Enhanced security measures
Law enforcement officers are operating in an enhanced mode together with other services to ensure public order and safety on May 9. Significant police forces have been deployed, and cooperation with security services has been established.
Individual laying of flowers at burial sites is not prohibited. At the same time, similar actions at sites of dismantled Soviet monuments are considered to glorify military aggression and are not permitted.
The police emphasize that the use of symbols of totalitarian regimes, as well as any signs that justify or glorify military aggression and war crimes, is prohibited in public spaces and entails liability.
Context of May 9
For decades, May 9 has been marked as the day of victory of the Red Army over Nazi Germany in World War II. At the same time, in Eastern European countries, this date is associated with occupation and the incorporation of the Baltic states into the USSR, which shapes differing approaches to its perception in society.