Court orders rallies to proceed

RIGA - The Administrative District Court last week lifted the Riga City Council’s ban on the Association of Citizens and Non-citizens and the Latvian Anti-Fascist Committee’s rallies that were previously planned for Riga’s Freedom Monument on March 16 - the unofficial WWII Latvian Legionnaire Remembrance Day, reports news agency LETA. The city council’s move, which was in violation of civil rights, was claimed necessary to “avert provocation and public disturbances on March 16,” it said.

Latvian Anti-Fascist Committee representative Vladimirs Buzajevs emphasized in the court on March 11 that the Riga City Council banned the assemblies because it was concerned about the possible clashes between various groups participating in the events. Buzajevs admitted that Latvia’s Anti-Fascist Committee wanted to protest against the Latvian Legion Day, and it is only normal that various groups with different political views participate in March 16 assemblies.
Riga City Council representative Ilze Gutmane, in an unconvincing argument, said that the local government banned the rallies following warnings from state and security police forces about threats to public order. The State Police representative emphasized, however, that the police are against banning the rallies. If the time and venue are known, the police can prepare for these events and control them.

Interior Minister Linda Murniece (Unity) has ordered State Border Guard Chief Normunds Garbars to intensify border control in order to prevent undesirable persons from entering Latvia and causing disturbances on March 16. She had said that there is no reason to believe that risks this year will be higher than in previous years. As in previous years, police have information on possible provocations this year as well.

Security Police received bomb threats targeting participants of the March 16 assemblies. Security Police chief aide Kristine Apse-Krumina confirmed that several media had received an anonymous letter from a group calling themselves ‘New Communists,’ who are threatening to detonate explosives during the traditional procession to the Freedom Monument, wrote the newspaper Vesti Segodna.

As this paper went to press, the political party All for Latvia! had a number of events scheduled for March 16, starting with a church service in Riga Dome Cathedral at 10:30 a.m. At 11 a.m., party members and followers were to march in procession to the Freedom Monument, where flowers were to be ceremoniously placed. A memorial event was also being planned for Brethren Cemetery at Lestene (Tukums region) at 2 p.m. In the evening, at 7 p.m., another event honoring the Legionnaires was to take place in Riga Latvian Society House.