The Russian Embassy in Latvia began issuing Russian visas to those who were detained during the protests against the demolition of the Riga monument to the soldiers-liberators of Riga. This was stated by Russian Ambassador to Latvia Mikhail Vanin on the air of the Russia-24 TV channel.
“We have already started issuing Russian visas to those citizens who were detained these days at the monument to the liberators of Riga, so that they can freely leave the territory of Latvia and find asylum in the Russian Federation, if necessary. There are such people, and we are promptly carrying out such work, ”TASS quoted Vanina as saying.
In mid-May, the Riga City Council voted to demolish the monument. 39 deputies voted “for” and 13 “against”. This was preceded by the suspension of the bilateral agreement with Russia on the preservation of memorial structures, which was approved by the Latvian Seimas on May 12 in the final reading.
“The image and symbols of the Soviet army are now directly and unambiguously connected with the aggression of Russia and the crimes committed by its armed forces in Ukraine,” said Rihards Kols, head of the Latvian Seimas Foreign Affairs Commission.
On May 9, residents of Riga laid flowers at the monument, but the very next day they were removed by a bulldozer. On August 23, 14 people were detained during protests over the demolition of the monument.