Marchers mark Legionnaires Day

RIGA - Members of "Daugavas vanagi Latvija" and its supporters in the Latvian capital of Riga have peacefully marched to the country's freedom monument to take part in a flower laying ceremony on the country's highly controversial "Legionnaires Day". 

This marks the first time in many years that no arrests or detentions were made at the controversial event, which commemorates the Latvian Legionnaires who served in the German army during World War II.

As with previous years, there was a large police presence at the event, with security overseen directly by the interior minister.

Members of Latvia's "anti-fascist committee" staged a counter protest, using the opportunity to hurl insults at the marchers. In previous years, the event has been marred by violence between the two groups.

A total of 140,000 people were called up to form the Latvian Legion and about 50,000 of them died in the war or deportations following the restoration of Soviet rule in Latvia.

In 1950 Washington published a declaration about Baltic SS legions having being special units to be distinguished from other German SS troops and not regarded as movements harmful to the United States government.