Anti-government riots in Riga, Latvia

Hundreds of demonstrators have clashed with riot police in Latvia's capital, Riga, after an anti-government protest.

Police used mace and truncheons to disperse rioters who smashed shop windows and overturned a police van after failing to storm parliament.

The violence followed a peaceful rally in which some 10,000 people accused the government of economic mismanagement and demanded new elections.

Latvia's economy is expected to contract by at least 5% this year.

Until last year, it was one of the fastest growing economies in Europe.

Many Latvians frustrated by rising unemployment and tax hikes blame the centre-right governing coalition of Prime Minister Ivars Godmanis for their country's economic woes.

Tuesday's peaceful protest was Latvia's largest since it became independent in 1991.

As the crowd swelled, dozens of protesters tried to storm the parliament building, and hundreds of demonstrators then hurled rocks and chunks of ice at government buildings.

The rioters were dispersed by riot police using mace and truncheons, but they gathered again in a neighbouring street in Riga's historic business distric

There, they overturned a police van, smashed windows and looted shops.

"There was a nice event and then when it finished people decided to go and express their anger and destroy the parliament and then it all spread through Old Riga," Anna Gulbe, 19, told the Associated Press news agency.

More than 30 people were injured in the fracas, medical sources said. Interior Ministry spokeswoman Sigita Pildava said three police officers were seriously wounded.

She added that 126 mostly young, male protesters were detained, many of whom were drunk.

Police reinforcements were called in and the protest was brought under control after about three hours.

Category:

News & Politics

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• latvia
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• rally
• anti
• government
• protests
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[pbl826]

@joojicf I love how Russians always call Latvians "Nazi Scum" when they point out the TRUTH - that Russia and Stalin killed over 50 million people in world war 2. Stalin / Russia made Hitler look like a saint. At least the Latvians have the BALLS to admit that they worked with the Nazis. The Russians just deny that they ever did any wrong and call everyone "Nazi scum". Pity - they're supposed to be a smart and mature people. They're not. They're just diseased animals - the kind you euthanise.

[Leikonel]

@MosheSchauder germans camed into Latvia in 1941, and in our history lessons this period (1941-1944) is called german occupation, from 1940-1941 soviet occupation and from 1944-1991 second soviet occupation.

[AnotherForeigner]

This video bit reminds me London riots in 2011 All this is about brainless people and poverty as an excuse to riot. Russians filled this gap wery well.

=====>>> WELL DONE RUSSIANS! <<<====== we know your nature very well.

[SyScript]

@pbl826 Not all Latvians are the same.

Not all Russians are the same.

Pepole that night were mostly drunk retards.

[Lachausis]

@0Russia0 Aizver muti, bizantijas vergu pēcteci! Pamācies par Latviju pirms 13.gs. Kad jums bija vikingu karaļi, mēs visus vikingus slīcinājām Baltijas jūrā. Krievu nezāle! Mums Latvijā ir tāda nezāle, ko saucam par Krievu zāli. Kāpēc krievu zāle? Tāpēc, ka rauj, cik gribi, bet tā maita nāk atpakaļ. Bet ja cītīgi parausta, tad vietā sāk augt laba zāle. Saproti, ko es ar to domāju. Mēs jūs izrausim pavisam drīz.

[Lachausis]

@EvoPower2010 No because of Russian parex bank, who is owned by RuSSians! The party who got us in trouble were colse associates of Putin. They even gave Russia our territory - Abrene. We will deport most of you bolsheviks sooner or later. This is our land, you are colonists or the 20th century! You're not even human fucking beings.

[Lachausis]

@pbl826 It's wrong to claim we worked with Nazis, when we didn't. Collaborators did. And if there are idiots who call Latvian Legion nazis, he's thousand times wrong. Legion was a drafted military unit. They were forced to join. Either you join the Legion or you join a concentration camp. Some, who refused, were shot, some joined eagerly to revenge the wrongs done by bolsheviks, most were drafted against their will. The history is never black and white. Especially when it's Latvian history.

[EvoPower2010]

@CruikshankLuv F*ck you, Latvia is in the total ASS just because of Latvian Government.

[finnrambo1]

I'm from valka and I'm ashamed of this footage, the russians probably started the riot because they dont know when theyve gone too far. Latvia would be a better country if all the russuans just left, please just leave we don't like thieves.

[MrILGRISO]

@Francesko263 the paradox is that riots were against Governemt but victims were the same poor people. Since the first effects of financial crisis Latvian policemen have seen a cut out of their salaries of about 30%. So it is an unuseful struggle between poor people

[bulavo]

@pbl826

i love that people in this video are latvians dissapointed in their goverment and you are dissing russians, you really have no brains!

[bulavo]

@pbl826

latvians are stupid and weak!