Yesterday, a large-scale protest against exiting the Istanbul Convention took place in front of the Saeima building, with several thousand participants. As stated in the program "900 Seconds" (TV3) by Deputy Chief of the State Police Andris Zelis, the total number of participants could reach around 5000 people, and the event took place without any incidents.
During the event, the police closely collaborated with the Riga Municipal Police to ensure public order.
"It should be noted that the entire event took place absolutely without any violations," emphasized Zelis.
Although law enforcement was prepared for possible provocations, none occurred.
"We identified individuals with opposing views; however, they mainly just filmed what was happening and did not provoke conflicts," he added.
Protest participants stated that they feel "unheard and ignored" and promised "not to stop and to appeal to the Constitutional Court." The law on exiting the Istanbul Convention may be suspended for two months at the initiative of the president if at least one-third of the members of the Saeima require it.
As noted by a representative of the State Police, the peaceful nature of the event proves that society is capable of expressing its opinion democratically and respectfully. "We provided the necessary resources, including reserve forces in case of conflict, but everything went without any incidents," said Zelis.
