On May 9, Latvian law enforcement agencies will operate in an enhanced mode. Authorities promise to respond harshly to any attempts to glorify military aggression, use prohibited symbols, or provoke in public places.
According to the State Police, additional police forces will be deployed across the country to ensure order, and close cooperation will be organized with the State Security Service (SSS) and other agencies.
The police emphasize that individual laying of flowers at cemeteries and burial sites is not prohibited. However, bringing flowers to places where Soviet monuments have previously been dismantled is considered unacceptable by the authorities.
According to the police, such actions may be interpreted as glorification of objects of the Soviet regime and justification of military aggression.
Law enforcement officials also remind that the use of symbols of totalitarian regimes is prohibited in Latvia, as well as any signs or images that justify or glorify war crimes and aggression. In each case, responsibility will be assessed individually.
Residents are urged to report any potential provocations or actions aimed at inciting tension in society in advance. Special attention is being paid to attempts to disseminate messages in the interests of Russia.
If people notice such actions on May 9, the police ask them to immediately call 112.
The State Security Service stated that at the moment, the agency has no information about events related to May 9 that would pose a serious threat to the country's security.
Since the beginning of the war between Russia and Ukraine, the attitude towards May 9 in Latvia has become even more tense. For some Russian-speaking residents, the date remains a day of remembrance for the victory over Nazism, while for a significant part of Latvian society, it is associated with the Soviet occupation of the Baltic states.
In recent years, the Latvian authorities have consistently tightened restrictions on public events and symbols related to the Soviet legacy.
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