Riots in Riga: How it Started

Rioters trying to enter the parliament building of Latvia.

Background info: Hundreds of youths destroyed police vehicles, smashed windows and looted stores in Latvia's capital on Tuesday when an anti-government protest turned into a riot.

The violence emerged after a peaceful protest by thousands calling for early elections in a country which last year had to seek a multi-billion economic rescue deal.

Hundreds of protesters marched on the parliament of the EU and NATO nation. Some tried to storm the building but were dispersed by riot police using teargas and truncheons.

"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," said Anna Gulbe, 19, referring to the picturesque historic part of the capital city.

Once police had control of the area around parliament, a large group of rioters began roaming through the city centre, smashing storefronts and office windows with cobblestones dug up from the streets. Windows at the Finance Ministry and several other buildings were shattered.

A liquor store and a tobacco store were looted.

Rioters overturned a police van and a police car before pounding it to pieces with wooden planks and makeshift weapons.

The riot fizzled out after about three hours when police reinforcements arrived and gradually drove the rioters away. A police spokeswoman said 126 people were arrested. Five protesters and three policemen were injured, she added.

"The state is in crisis and people have just started to get into a bad mood about everything. There has never been such a big riot in Riga, I've never seen anything like it," said Ance Brasma, 20, a student.

Latvians want change as the economy, formerly the EU's fastest-growing, crashed and it had to take a 7.5 billion euro (£7 billion) International Monetary Fund and EU loan.

Under the deal, the government has to slash public spending, though it has pledged to preserve social spending in the country of 2.3 million.

"Dissolve parliament, dissolve parliament," the protesters chanted when dozens of burly men rushed a line of anti-riot police outside the parliament building.

People threw bottles at parliament. As demonstrators pushed forward, police sprayed them with pepper spray.

The larger, earlier demonstration, which included singing of patriotic songs, was similar to protests late in 2007, which eventually forced the then prime minister to resign.

However, the same four parties stayed in coalition and the organisers of the demonstration accused them and Prime Minister Ivars Godmanis of mismanaging the country.

"We have only one demand of the president: call early elections and dissolve parliament," Artis Pabriks, a former foreign minister who is now an opposition parliamentarian, told the crowd in Old Riga's central square.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• protesters
• street
• riots
• Riga
• Latvia
• Vilnius
• Lithuania
• Sofia
• Bulgaria
• the Baltic States
• distubances
• uprising
• parliament
• Saeima
• economic crisis
• violence
• youngsters

[aviomaster]

solvair --- WHY your goverment did not support , RUSSIAN FEDERATION , in august 2008 , when , GEORGIA attacked, Ossetia and Abhazia , USA zionist garbage shit regime , of imperialist sons , and cousins, bombed SERBIA 1999 , when Serbia was attacked by Terrorists in KOSOVO 1998, and separated 15% , which is cradle of Serbian state.

[vbyuer]

Some people see the world only in black and white. And you're on of them. Good luck in fighting against those oh, so evil ZIONIST imperialists, but you will have to do it somewhere else. You have been blocked.

[aviomaster]

= THEY bombed Serbia to FREE KOSOVO , and THAN they are for GEORGIA to kill Ossetian people , STUPID ,, USA is imperialist power , THERE is military base in KOSOVO , and what , you think it will change something. NOTHING , people in KOSOVO are poor as dirt ...

[vbyuer]

For your information - the enemy of my enemy is always my friend and the enemy of my friend is my enemy. Guess who's the friend and who's the enemy.

I don't want to change anything.

[aviomaster]

YOU understand , THEY want military base , cause of KOSOVO , where pipes for OIL delivery line is being build. SAME thing with GEORGIA , GEORGIA licked USA ass they can kill OSSETIANS and ABHAZIANS , SERBIA did not lick USA ass , they got bombed for KOSOVO , and 15% of Serbian land has beeen cut off.

[vbyuer]

Good for them.

[Brett32324]

This is the status around the world. Its only going to get worse. Just remember to protect those you love and gear up with weapons for self-defense. Fight for what is right. Sometimes riots are needed.

[b4c4rdi1990]

respect for Latvia

michael from Lithuania

[ankr141]

the funny thing is, that if a country like latvia will be nuked tomorrow and the process will be recorded on tape...it still wouldn't get as much views on youtube as the fat kid with a light-saber :D

[Lachausis]

As later many suspected, the Russian embassy had control over Russian immigrants in the crowd. Unfortunately this protest of Latvian people was turned into Russian cause, the reason why many later turned back on these events. The shops were looted and Russian propaganda slogans appeared on flags. One day we'll witness a pure Latvian protest! That will be a day to remember!

[DaHonestAbe]

There ya go folks. Don't let them push you around anymore.

[Ricokz]

@aviomaster You're fucking dumb.

[40bcoots]

"Sometimes riots are needed." I tend to disagree. I do agree with protests. Protests are (normaly) calm events to tell the politicians what the public feelings are. Riots are out of control situations which produce almost nothing except negative worldwide press.

Ireland has now accepted an IMF bailout .. UK will probably do the same next year.

Get off your arses , put your knowledge together to overcome the (international)GFC problem. There is no other way.

Blame is a waste. be positive

[isaacnelson1234]

@vbyuer thank god for that some people like to rant and argue on youtube comment boxs for days thinking someone acutely gives a fuck about their dumb ass opinion....

[shademagexxx]

@aviomaster u piece of fucking dirty low shit how dare you even call America with such names you are a son of a bitch bastard....bitch....

[saratinas]

as much as I know the rioters were attacking parlament, police cars, a politician owned alcohol shop and everything that was tax payed by the same rioters and other people

[KooKas2oo8]

Rioters DO need to be shot the fuck down, but only after their property is destroyed. Fuckers damage innocent property because they think it'll achieve something besides fucking up some poor guy's life.

[5kilz]

Slikti ka tik maz ALFAS viru tur staveja.

Vareja vel SUV but, tad visi goperi atri vien dabutu ierit.