[Onthebarricades] Crisis response unrest in LATVIA, LITHUANIA - January 2009

[global resistance roundup]

http://articles.latimes.com/2009/jan/17/world/fg-baltic-protests17

Protests spread in Europe amid economic crisis
Lithuanians opposed to a government austerity plan hurl eggs and rocks. 
The outburst follows similar incidents in Latvia and Bulgaria.
By Megan K. Stack
January 17, 2009
Police used rubber bullets and tear gas to quell demonstrators in the 
Lithuanian capital Friday, as economic hardship burst into street-level 
rage in another European country.
With dwindling budgets forcing unpopular spending cuts and tax hikes in 
many countries, the global financial crisis is steadily emerging as a 
political threat to governments. Demonstrations have erupted in 
Lithuania, Latvia, Bulgaria and Iceland as bread-and-butter anxiety 
turns into anti-government rage.
In Vilnius, Lithuania's capital, a peaceful protest against a government 
austerity plan degenerated into violence as thousands of demonstrators 
surged toward the Parliament building, hurling eggs and rocks. At least 
84 people were arrested and at least 14 wounded, including four police 
officers.
Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius, who just took office last month, was 
unflinching.
"We will only speak to those who unequivocally distance themselves from 
those who have staged riots, who sow chaos and who encroach upon the 
constitutional system," Kubilius said in a statement released to news 
agencies.
"The riot will not scare us," he said.
Lithuania's economy is expected to enter a recession this year. The 
protests were called in response to the government's attempts to curb 
the financial crisis, including widely unpopular tax hikes. "Thieves, 
thieves," some protesters shouted at the government Friday.
"The government has long neglected the social needs of the people, 
pensioners and others," Algirdas Paleckis, leader of the Frontas radical 
left party, told Reuters.
Lithuania isn't the only Baltic state where economic problems are 
causing unrest. Though the region has been generally peaceful since the 
dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, the sudden threat of financial 
strife is driving ordinary people to unusual angst.
Lithuania's northern neighbor on the Baltic Sea coast, Latvia, is also 
churning. The largest party in its ruling coalition on Friday called for 
early parliamentary elections after a massive demonstration roiled the 
capital this week.
Once boasting the European Union's fastest-growing economy, Latvia was 
forced to seek loans last year from the EU and the International 
Monetary Fund. The government has dramatically cut social spending.
Festering anger boiled over in Riga, the capital, on Tuesday as a 
protest demanding early elections led to riots and looting. Youths dug 
cobblestones from the streets, smashed storefronts and destroyed police 
vehicles, news agencies reported. More than 100 people were detained in 
the worst violence to shake Latvia since the country gained its 
independence in the Soviet collapse.
Protesters also rioted outside Bulgaria's parliament this week as 
citizens of the EU's poorest country railed against their government.
Even Russia, which was riding high through much of the last year because 
of lofty prices for its oil and natural gas, has been rattled by 
financial tension. Police violently stifled demonstrations in recent 
weeks over a tax hike on imported cars.





http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/europe/news/article_1453887.php/Police_use_tear_gas_to_break_up_Lithuanian_demonstration

Police use tear gas to break up Lithuanian demonstration
Europe News
Jan 16, 2009, 13:19 GMT
Vilnius - Tear gas and baton charges were used in the Baltic states for 
the second time in less than a week on Friday when the Lithuanian 
capital, Vilnius, joined the Latvian capital, Riga, as the scene of 
violent clashes between police and protestors.
Around 7,000 people from across Lithuania on Friday gathered outside 
national parliament and government offices in Vilnius for a union-led 
demonstration against tax increases, job losses and public spending cuts.
Soon after the official start of the demonstration at midday, some 
elements in the crowd chanted 'Thieves come out!' and pelted the 
parliament building with a variety of missiles including snowballs, 
stones, bottles and vegetables, breaking several windows.
An unconfirmed report suggested a shot may have been fired from the 
crowd through one window.
Government minister Arturas Zuokas was hit by an egg when he attempted 
to speak to the demonstrators.
Soon afterwards, riot police reacted by arresting a group of the most 
aggressive protestors, who had attempted to break into the parliament 
building.
Tear gas was then used to disperse the rest of the crowd from the 
immediate vicinity, before protestors regrouped and made a second 
attempt to storm the parliament.
Again they were beaten away and teargas was deployed.
Early reports said around five people had been injured, including a 
policeman who lost part of a finger.
Demonstrators at other locations in Vilnius outside government buildings 
were less confrontational, contenting themselves with handing in 
petitions and waving banners.
However, the Baltic News Service reported that a large crowd in the 
northern city of Siauliai had surrounded a local government building and 
attempted to gain entry but found its way barred by police.
Political protests in neighbouring Latvia descended into violence 
earlier in the week and similar scenes were also witnessed in Bulgaria 
as anger over a bleak economic outlook and political mismanagement 
threatens to boil over.





http://irzikevicius.wordpress.com/2009/01/17/eggs-riot-in-vilnius/

Eggs riot in Vilnius
January 17, 2009

Riots in Vilnius Photo by Mindaugas Ažusalis
See an update on the riots

There was no such a situation in Lithuania for ten years’ these words of 
one of the top Police Chiefs said in press conferences. Some seven 
thousand protesters gathered in the front of the Parliament to protest 
against the new government’s anti crises plan today. The plan was 
adopted only few weeks ago, however it managed to upset few people in 
Lithuania. There were demos in Siauliai, Alytus, Panevezys, Alytus also.
However, only in Vilnius the demo erupted into rioting. There were some 
disturbances In Siauliai also. The special police forces are still on 
the guard in the streets surrounding the Parliament.
There a lot of details still emerging but there are some facts. 151 
rioters were detained, 15 people were injured. 2 million Litas of damage 
was done to Seimas. Some of the arrested had knifes, iron bars and 
Molotov cocktails. The police use tear gas and rubber bullets to 
disperse the crowd of rioters.
The Trade Union confederation the main organisers of the demos, have 
distanced themselves from the troublemakers. Despite riots in Riga only 
few nights ago, the organisers guarantied that the demo will be 
peaceful. However, it appears that that the peaceful, but noisy demo 
turned into riots once the main demonstrators began planned march to the 
Governmental building about two kilometres away.
The Police kept distance when the snowballs and eggs showered the 
parliamentarian building. However, the ammunition became more 
aggressive, and once the stones and other heavy objects began outnumber 
eggs and snowballs the police decided to intervene…
Absolute majority of the troublemakers were youth with hoods covering 
their heads. The biggest ‘surprise’ was that such youth actually came to 
the streets having in mind the apolitical nature of the Lithuanian 
youth. This youth was harvesting the results of the rapid Lithuania’s 
development in the last eight years and don’t resemble the ‘hard times’ 
in the 1990s. I would also assume that those rioters do not give a dam 
about the pensioners and the demos’ causes.
The Prime Minister Kubilius mentioned that the riots were superbly 
organised, and mentioned ‘forces unfriendly to Lithuania’s sovereignty’. 
President Adamkus compared Vilnius ‘eggs riots’ with Bronze Soldier 
events in Tallinn and recent riots in Riga. Professor of Politics Lopata 
advised to compare Vilnius, Riga, Sofia and Greece. Prof of Sociology 
Gaidys voiced his concern that Lithuania was caught unprepared: ‘We did 
not realise that situation so bad’ he admitted.
Those riots are wake up call to the new government that time has come to 
do some explanatory work about the reforms. Yes, there are 10.000 
unemployed registered last month alone, government has to borrow to pay 
pensions, and economy is going to have a negative GDP growth this year. 
The government has to explain reasons behind it anti crisis plan. And of 
course, authorities should tighten their belts also…However, in about 
twelve hours there is going to be another demo in Klaipeda. Lets see how 
long it will remain ‘peaceful’.






http://news.aol.co.uk/protests-over-lithuania-government/article/2009011612340884610784

Protests over Lithuania government
Last Updated: Friday, 16 January 2009, 23:28 GMT
- Search: Lithuania protests

Police used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse anti-government 
protesters who were throwing rocks and eggs at Lithuania's Parliament.
The Interior Ministry said 15 people were injured, including four 
policeman. One protester lost a finger to a rubber bullet, police said. 
About a dozen windows on the Parliament building, in downtown Vilnius, 
were shattered.
Some 7,000 protesters had gathered outside Parliament on Friday morning 
to demonstrate against reforms aimed at easing the economic crisis. The 
violence started when police pushed away protesters who were demanding 
to see the parliamentary speaker.
By evening Vilnius was quiet. Police said more 82 people had been detained.
"According to police information, this is a well orchestrated action 
against Lithuania," Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius told journalists.
"There are forces that are interested in destabilisation and chaos in 
Lithuania, and they are using the public's dismay over painful reforms 
to achieve their hostile plans," Kubilius said, adding that police knew 
who was responsible.
Kubilius' centre-right coalition, in power less than two months, has 
been criticised for tax increases the government said were needed to 
shore up state finances. On Friday, Lithuania's Finance Ministry 
announced it intended to borrow $1.3 billion from the European 
Investment Bank to plug a yawning budget gap. The Baltic country's 
economy is expected to enter a recession this year.
Liucija Mukiene, a 63-year-old retiree, said the government was arrogant 
and corrupt.
"We are here today because this government is mocking us," she said. 
"They taking away our last money and providing nothing. I am fed up with 
the lies, corruption and those grinning, fat faces behind the windows of 
Parliament."
The clash echoes violent protests this week in Latvia and Bulgaria, and 
recent demonstrations in Greece, as a wave of discontent over economic 
woes, difficult reforms and government corruption sweeps through parts 
of Europe. In Latvia, police detained more than 100 people on Tuesday 
after protesters pelted police with rocks.





http://hubpages.com/hub/Worldwide-Economic-Protests-and-Riots

Worldwide Economic Protests and Riots
95
rate or flag this page
By AZGuy

Iceland Protester. Yes, those F-words mean what it looks like in English.

Credit Crunch and Recession sparks protests and riots
Economic related protests and riots are occuring around the world from 
Iceland to China. The mainstream media in the U.S. gives relatively 
little or no coverage to these events. On January 23, 2009, the Prime 
Minister of Iceland, Geir Haarde resigned from office following several 
months of protests over the banking collapse and credit squeeze. The 
resignation of the Minister of Business Affairs followed two days later. 
Economic conditions in Iceland and other parts of the world continue to 
deteriorate as the effects of the credit crisis affect the general 
economy. The world economy appears to be sliding deeper into recession 
and possibly something worse. Read more on the economic downturn here. 
Protests in Iceland are happening on a near daily basis and are becoming 
edgier as tensions mount amidst the declining economy. You can see more 
about Iceland's economic fallout and protests at the excellent blog 
(written and updated frequently by a native Icelander) here 
http://iceland-dori.blogspot.com/
Economic related rioting is also increasing in Eastern Europe. In 
particular, Latvia has seen some extremely violent rioting. Rioting has 
also been seen in Greece, France, Ireland, Bulgaria and Lithuania. See 
videos and article links below.
There were also major protests in the U.S. on Wall St. back in 2008, 
click here to see the very "colorful and spirited" protests that the 
U.S. media barely covered (strong language advisory): 
http://hubpages.com/hub/Protests-on-Wall-Street---what-the-news-media-isnt-showing-you
Likewise, there were major protests in London in 2008 that received 
modest coverage in Europe, but essentially nil coverage here in the U.S. 
See what you missed here (strong language advisory): 
http://hubpages.com/hub/Protests-in-London-Against-the-Financial-Bailout-Plan-for-Banks
There is a great deal of unrest in China, as the recession in the United 
States and Europe is drastically reducing demand for factory produced 
goods made there. In particular, the city of Guangdong, has seen large 
scale rioting by recently unemployed factory workers who were left 
desparate and destitute after factory closures. Most economists agree 
that China requires a minimum of 8% economic growth just to provide 
enough jobs to keep pace with the huge numbers of new people entering 
the workforce due to population growth. Recently, the growth rate dipped 
to 6.8% and projections indicate that it may decline to 5% which 
indicates severe economic problems and increased social upheaval. A 
recent article indicates that some 20 million Chinese have lost their 
jobs. See article below.
Below is a collection of videos and links regarding economic related 
riots around the world. This list will surely grow in 2009 as the 
effects of the banking collapse, credit crunch and ensuing recession (or 
economic depression) propagate throughout communities in the world.
Update Feb 21, 2009: Huge protest in Ireland erupts over the eonomic 
crisis. Middle class protesters are rallying against a levy on their 
retirement, which they say benefits the rich. See video below.
Also, protests in Greenwich, CT at bank CEOs luxury homes. Busloads of 
protesters descended upon the estates of bank CEOs and demanded justice. 
See video below.
Update April 13, 2009: Violent protests and riots are taking place in 
Thailand.





http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2009/01/17/Lithuanian-protesters-clash-with-police/UPI-11351232215289/

Lithuanian protesters clash with police
Published: Jan. 17, 2009 at 1:01 PM

VILNIUS, Lithuania, Jan. 17 (UPI) -- Lithuanian protesters' snowballs 
were answered by police rubber bullets when an anti-government rally 
devolved into a riot in Vilnius, medical officials said.
Vilnius Emergency Hospital officials told the Russian news agency 
ITAR-TASS that one of the 11 protesters injured Friday had sustained had 
a head wound while others were hurt by rubber bullets fired by police.
The unsanctioned demonstration of Lithuanian economic policies called by 
trade unions turned violent when some of the approximately 7,000 
protesters allegedly threw snowballs at the Parliament's windows and 
demanded the appearance of Speaker Arunas Valinskas. Police squads and a 
special task force unit sent to the site responded with rubber bullets 
and tear gas, and clashes ensued, witnesses said.
Lithuanian Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius told ITAR-TASS before the 
rally that the government "is always ready for a dialogue" with trade 
unions, adding he hoped the protest would be held in an organized manner 
and without incidents.





http://www.dw-world.de/dw/function/0,,12215_cid_3952189,00.html?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf

| 16.01.2009 | 19:00 UTC
Baltic anti-government protests spread to Lithuania
In Lithuania, police have used tear gas and rubber-tipped bullets to 
disperse anti-government protesters outside the country's parliament. 
The interior ministry said 15 people were injured, including four 
policemen. Police said about 7,000 people attended the rally in the 
capital Vilnius. The rally was called by trade unions to protest an 
austerity drive in which the centre-right government is seeking to slash 
public sector wages by up to 15 percent and raise consumption tax. The 
protest comes on the heels of similar demonstrations in neighbouring 
Latvia earlier this week.







http://freespeechlatvia.blogspot.com/2009/01/latvia-moves-from-speech-to-non-violent.html

Monday, January 26, 2009
Latvia moves from speech to non-violent resistance
After the January 13 street riots in Riga, subsequent threats of 
government repression and what is widely seen as continued government 
indifference to public opinion, an informal movement of non-violent 
resistance, called The Penguins (Pingvini). The term emerged from a 
remark by Prime Minister Ivars Godmanis, apparently in his New Year's 
Eve address to the nation (I was in the US at the time and missed it). 
Godmanis said that in hard (or cold) times, penguins squeeze together.
The penguin movement apparent started before January 13, since a 
contingent of mainly young people with placards bearing ironic "penguin 
slogans" was seen at the peaceful opposition rally at Riga's Dom Square 
that preceded the disorders.
Following statements that were seen as threats to freedom of assembly 
and speech by the Prime Minister immediately after the riots, 
journalist, blogger and radio personality (and my editor and colleague 
at LETA) Māris Zanders said that the government had "declared war" on 
the public and the only reasonable response was to prepare for 
non-violent resistance. Transcripts of Zanders' radio commentaries have 
appeared on the home page of the Penguins www.pingviniem.info, putting 
him in the unwanted position of being an informal leadership figure for 
what is emerging as a non-violent, almost anarchist resistance movement.
Zanders has published a number of addresses and mobile phone numbers 
that he hints might be those of government ministers and has urged the 
public to call or send SMS to these numbers to express dissatisfaction. 
He has also listed some addresses and locations in Riga that can be 
understood to be the residences of the same ministers. The journalist's 
commentaries have been formulated in sufficiently vague terms so that no 
one can call them incitements to harass public figures. Press reports 
say that several ministers have been turning off their mobile phones 
after work or failing to answer calls from numbers they do not recognize.
Zanders has also suggested the people go on " peaceful strolls" in areas 
where the politicians live or where important meetings of the government 
and parliamentarians are taking place. One could even have a friendly 
"snowball fight", he said.
The penguin website is developing discussions of other non-violent and 
civil disobedience actions (silent vigils, refusals to disperse). There 
is, too, an undertone of concern that the authorities might use force 
against such protests and what, then, would be the reaction of the 
penguins and their supporters.
Aside from the penguins, Latvian farmers, especially dairy farmers, are 
threatening to obstruct roads with farm machinery and perhaps organize 
similar militant actions in Riga. The farmers are asking for government 
support to avoid bankruptcy during the economic crisis.
I think we are seeing the seeds of an extraparliamentary opposition in 
Latvia, ranging from non-violent demonstrators to civil disobedience, to 
possibly other forms of resistance if the state is the first to use 
force. I will try to keep readers informed.
Posted by Juris Kaža at 9:33 AM






http://tallinn.cafebabel.com/en/post/2009/01/14/Latvia-After-the-Riots-What-Happens-Now

Latvia After the Riots - What Happens Now?

When a Minister publicly accuses a colleague of having been a "bastard" 
for the organization of an anti-governmental rally, we all realize that 
there should be something wrong. When it happens after the first nights 
of riots in the life of independent Latvia, then we all think that 
something out of proportions is really happening.
“Are you happy now?”

These are the words Latvian Minister of Interior Marek Seglinš wrote on 
a note he sent to Aigars Shtokenbergs, leader of the anti governmental 
movement that organized yesterda’y.
A rally that, in few hours, officially killed the Latvian dream.

With 126 people arrested, 28 taken to the hospital, alcohol and tobacco 
stores looted by rioters and jackals, this has not been an easy morning 
for the population of the Capital. “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.

“Sadly, we woke up too late. We could see the financial mess that was an 
obstacle in our path, but it was too late to avoid it […] It has been 
said that Latvia is currently experiencing one of the most dramatic 
operations for the rescue of a financial system in the history of modern 
Europe”, said the Latvian President to the Member of the European 
Parliament, finally admitting the enormous proportions of the financial 
breakdown the country is experiencing, but still avoiding to make a 
clear statement on what some 10,000 people asked him for some hours.
Otherwise said, his head.
Politically speaking, ça va sans dire.

I did not take a position, true, but if anyone would ask me for a 
sincere guess, I would confess that I would not feel safe on betting on 
his career right now.

Whether his cabinet is guilty or not, or whether the risky policy some 
countries adopted since when they decided to lie on the economical 
bubbles they created finally turned out to be something less smart than 
what we all thought, Latvia moved from being the enfant prodige of the 
European growth to a shameful black sheep that other countries would 
prefer not to see.
And it all happened so rapidly that many people did not manage to 
realize it until yesterday, the night when the IMF loan shown its effect 
on the feelings of the citizens.
Latvia received a 7.5 billion-euro ($9.9 billion) international aid 
package in December from a group led by the International Monetary Fund, 
the European Union and the Nordic countries. The Latvian economy 
contracted 4.6 percent in the third quarter from the same period a year 
earlier and the government took over the country’s second-biggest bank.

Where will it all end up is hard to foresee.
A bit because the negative escalation of the last months showed us how 
it is not the moment for any “creative” forecast anymore, and a lot 
because the lack of preparation of some of our highest-level politicians 
has been so gross that it even makes feel ashamed for the contribution 
we gave to all this during the past elections.

What is possible to foresee, though, is that after the funny hit-and-run 
scored by Pedro Almunia and Andrus Ansip – which, once more, shown us 
the consciousness some people have of the whole economical issue and its 
priorities – is that, as someone once said in Estonia, “Gloomy times are 
ahead.”
on Wednesday, January 14 2009 By Giovanni Angioni






http://globalvoicesonline.org/2009/01/17/latvia-rioting-in-riga/

Latvia: Rioting in Riga

Saturday, January 17th, 2009 @ 02:17 UTC
by Veronica Khokhlova
In his post about the Jan. 13 peaceful anti-government protest followed 
by rioting in Riga, Aleks Tapinsh of All About Latvia wrote that Ivars 
Godmanis, the Latvian PM, had “told the people in his New Year’s Eve 
address how penguins deal with severe winter - they huddle together to 
stay warm - the same way as Latvians ought to do when going through the 
economic turmoil.”
What happened in Latvia's capital on Tuesday has thus been labeled by 
some as the “penguin revolution.”
Below are some of the accounts and opinions from the blogosphere.
More from All About Latvia's post linked to above:
Shattered glass. Blue paint on the building. Broken plastic bottles. 
Cobblestones. Ninety-eight detained.
[…]
But it started all so peaceful. Around 5 p.m. several hundred people had 
already flooded the Dom Square in the heart of the capital of Latvia. 
People of different ages, ethnicity, backgrounds appeared united in 
their disdain for the ruling coalition, and – more importantly – the 
culture of political cynicism.
Following the 90-minute event mostly young people moved toward the 
Saeima building. They tried to get in. Prevented from doing so by the 
riot police, they began throwing anything that they could lay their 
hands on - from snowballs to street cobblestones. […]
An English-language interview with a protester, conducted by Aleks 
Tapinsh, is here. The man believes that “new people” should be allowed 
into Latvia's politics for the country to prosper and talks about the 
effect that the ongoing crisis has so far had on his business.
A selection of relevant photo and video reports - at a Russian-language 
blog on the disturbances of Jan. 13: http://lvrevolucija.blogspot.com/.
Juris Kaža of Free Speech Emergency in Latvia offers this assessment:
[…] On one level, the ruling coalition in Latvia had this coming to it. 
Regardless of what the law and the book of etiquette says, a riot is a 
form of political struggle, though less focussed and clear than a 
well-defined non-violent protest. Seeing eggs and rocks fly at the 
Saeima building as a symbol of the ruling elite and Latvian politicians 
made not only me but many others feel that they had this coming.
If there is more severe repression against future protests, it will most 
likely escalate to the West European model of periodic clashes between 
the police and young streetfighters.
While this is unfortunate, especially for those suffering collateral 
damage — looted stores, injured police and bystanders — it now seems 
inevitable that street violence will become part of the political scene 
here and the threat of such violence — a likely excuse for curbing 
non-violent expression. Post-Soviet authoritarian thinking in Latvia is 
strong, and it will not diminish but find some self-justification after 
the Riga riots.
A pre-protest roundup on the political and economic situation in Latvia 
- defaulted bank loans, corrupt politicians, legislative chaos - in 
earlier posts at All About Latvia, here and here.
Juris Kaža, in a Jan. 16 post, reports on the Riga City Council's 
decision “[to deny] permits for two politically-oriented gatherings in 
Riga's Old Town” on Saturday and Sunday:
[…] There are comments and appeals circulating on the internet asking 
people to defy the ban on gatherings in the Old Town and hinting at a 
repeat of the January 13 disorders if the police attempt to disperse or 
interfere with any unsanctioned public meetings. […]
A reader, however, refutes the information about the banning of the 
rallies in this comment to Juris Kaža's post:
[…] Blanket ban of assembly in Old Town would, of course, be wrong and 
unlawful, and even ban on particular kind of gatherings would, I think. 
No such ban has been established, public comments of officials proposing 
to ban particular kind of gatherings notwithstanding. […]
Riga-based LJ user xzirnisx posted several pictures and wrote this (RUS) 
the morning after the disturbances:
In all kinds of tourist booklets, they've always liked to call Riga the 
“small Paris.” Last night, the city turned into a small Athens, and I'm 
incredibly happy about it, because I used to think that for our people, 
who are patiently enduring all the troubles and deprivations, there is 
nothing that can force them to drag their behinds off the couch. But, it 
turns out, there is something.
Naturally, the mass media are trying to turn everything into farce, 
emphasizing the fact that the “vandals have looted the Latvijas balzams 
(liquor) store,” but for some reason failing to mention the [five dozen] 
injured protesters, faces of girls adorned with running mascara and 
bruises, and pensioners who've also got a taste of black rubber.
Over a hundred people are now huddling at [police] stations all over the 
city. Most of them are not vandals. I still can't get through to my 
brother. The PM said that “there'll be no more actions on the territory 
of the Old Riga.” Here it is, the true face of our pseudo-democracy ;)
In response to a reader's question, LJ user xzirnisx listed some of the 
reasons (RUS) for the people's discontent:
[…] We currently have the highest unemployment rates in the EU. In 
December, some 300 people were losing jobs every day - this with the 
population of 2 million. Per capita GDP is the lowest in the EU (or 
[it's the lowest] in Polans, which places us on the second place from 
the end). And what are the measures that the government is taking? They 
are raising the VAT to 21 percent and cut [state employees'] salaries by 
15 percent. In the private sector, salaries have also gone down - by 
about [a half] since October. In addition to all this, public 
transportation has become twice as expensive this year and costs Ls 0.50 
($1). They've also raised [natural] gas prices - and they are selling it 
to us at four times (!!!) the price that Russia is charging them for it. 
And the more expensive the gas, the more expensive the electricity and 
heating. […]
Daugavpils-based LJ user aljena-beljaeva posted information (RUS) about 
a fundraising effort for Edgar Gorban, a 16-year-old protester who lost 
his eye during the rioting:
[…] They say the eye was hit either by a stone, or he lost it as a 
result of [tear] gas, but originally there was information about a 
rubber bullet. I don't know what really happened and I don't really 
care. One way or another, I saw this boy's crying mother on TV, an 
ordinary Russian-speaking woman, and I feel very sorry for her. Some 
people are now saying that we shouldn't be turning him into a romantic 
hero - he must have been throwing stones himself, so he is the one to 
blame. […]
Riga-based LJ user kris_reid posted his policeman friend's account (RUS) 
of what had occurred on Jan. 13, addressing the entry to readers from 
Russia - who, according to the blogger, were likely to get the other 
side of the story - “the protester's version” - from “the zombie-box 
[Russian TV]”:
[…]
“[…] When […] the number of people returning from the rally decreased 
and we were expecting to hear “thank you for your work” over our 
walkie-talkies, we got information about groups gathering by the Saeima 
[Latvian parliament] […]. And at 8 PM, a general alert was issued and an 
order came for all the free units and the reserves to go to certain 
points to get instructions. […]
About the “non-use of special devices” - lies. I myself was among those 
who used them. Got caught on [some videos]. [Beat up] one guy [who was] 
five meters away and about to throw a stone, and handed him to [the riot 
police guys], who [beat him up some more] and led him away […]. Him and 
his cocky [girlfriend]. I heard from colleagues that flash/noise and gas 
grenades were being used by the Saeima.
[…]
Upd. [Rioters] were multinational. There were enough of both [ethnic] 
Latvians and [ethnic] Russians.
Can't say anything about the rally - didn't see it […]. People leaving 
the rally made a good impression - more or less normal people. The whole 
mess happened because of the predominantly marginal youth, most of them 
[drunk]. […] And the disturbances were of a totally European scale - 
with ripped out cobblestone. […]”
Posted by Veronica Khokhlova






http://freespeechlatvia.blogspot.com/2009/01/crackdown-on-expression-could-follow.html

Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Crackdown on expression could follow Riga riots
Latvian prime minister Ivars Godmanis said that it "is another Latvia" 
after the January 13 riots in Riga and that "other methods" would be 
used to quell violent protests. Speaking on a morning news show January 
14, Godmanis hinted that further mass rallies in Riga's Old Town could 
be restricted or forbidden. The peaceful rally ahead of the unrest was 
organized by a new opposition party and supported by various 
non-governmental organizations. It was called to demand that President 
Valdis Zatlers dissolve the Latvian Parliament, the Saiema.
Following the rally in Riga's Dom Square a large crowd moved on to the 
nearby Saeima building where confrontations erupted between a small 
police contingent guarding the entrance to the building and the 
demonstrators. Snow, ice and eggs were thrown, followed by paving 
stones, smashing several windows. There were a number of injuries on 
both sides.
The rioting spilled over into other parts of the historic downtown, with 
youths overturning several police vehicles, smashing windows at the 
Finance Ministry and several shops and offices. A liquour store was 
looted. Charges by riot police were met with showers of stones and other 
objects, including uprooted street signs tossed as spears at both the 
police and store windows.
My assessment:
On one level, the ruling coalition in Latvia had this coming to it. 
Regardless of what the law and the book of etiquette says, a riot is a 
form of political struggle, though less focussed and clear than a 
well-defined non-violent protest. Seeing eggs and rocks fly at the 
Saeima building as a symbol of the ruling elite and Latvian politicians 
made not only me but many others feel that they had this coming.
If there is more severe repression against future protests, it will most 
likely escalate to the West European model of periodic clashes between 
the police and young streetfighters.
While this is unfortunate, especially for those suffering collateral 
damage -- looted stores, injured police and bystanders -- it now seems 
inevitable that street violence will become part of the political scene 
here and the threat of such violence -- a likely excuse for curbing 
non-violent expression. Post-Soviet authoritarian thinking in Latvia is 
strong, and it will not diminish but find some self-justification after 
the Riga riots.

Posted by Juris Kaža at 10:01 PM






http://allaboutlatvia.com/article/743/penguin-revolution/

“Nasing Spešal - Penguin Revolution”
RĪGA – Shattered glass. Blue paint on the building. Broken plastic 
bottles. Cobblestones. Ninety-eight detained.
These are the preliminary results of the aftermath of the penguin 
revolution (when Godmanis told the people in his New Year’s Eve address 
how penguins deal with severe winter - they huddle together to stay warm 
- the same way as Latvians ought to do when going through the economic 
turmoil).
But it started all so peaceful. Around 5 p.m. several hundred people had 
already flooded the Dom Square in the heart of the capital of Latvia. 
People of different ages, ethnicity, backgrounds appeared united in 
their disdain for the ruling coalition, and – more importantly – the 
culture of political cynicism.
Following the 90-minute event mostly young people moved toward the 
Saeima building. They tried to get in. Prevented from doing so by the 
riot police, they began throwing anything that they could lay their 
hands on - from snowballs to street cobblestones. The first flood 
windows were shattered.
Commentators undoubtedly will analyze what had taken place – whether the 
riot was a fruit of public discontent and anger at the ruling clique, or 
a product of alcohol and intoxication, or, perhaps, a combination of 
both. One thing for sure, regardless of the protest, the political 
cynicism lives on. The Interior Minister Mareks Segliņš, who was nowhere 
to be seen near the riots, sent an SMS to Aigars Štokenbergs, a party 
leader, who organized the protest, saying “Now you can be proud.”





http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/01/14/2466271.htm

Police, rioters clash in Latvian capital
Posted Wed Jan 14, 2009 11:07pm AEDT
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 per cent this year.
Until last year, it was one of the fastest growing economies in Europe.





http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/15/world/europe/15latvia.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss

Latvia Is Shaken by Riots Over Its Weak Economy

Ilmars Znotins/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
Military personnel faced off with protesters in Riga, Latvia, on Tuesday 
night.

By ELLEN BARRY
Published: January 14, 2009
MOSCOW — Violent protests over political grievances and mounting 
economic woes shook the Latvian capital, Riga, late Tuesday, leaving 
around 25 people injured and leading to 106 arrests.
Skip to next paragraph
Enlarge This Image

Reuters
Officers cleared demonstrators on Wednesday in Sofia, Bulgaria. Several 
countries have faced protests over economic issues.

Ilmars Znotins/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
A protester faced riot police officers on Tuesday in Riga, Latvia. About 
25 people were injured when the rally turned violent.
In the wake of the demonstrations, President Valdis Zatlers threatened 
Wednesday to call for a referendum that would allow voters to dissolve 
Parliament, saying trust in the government, including in its ability to 
deal with growing economic problems, had “collapsed catastrophically.”
For years, Latvia boasted of double-digit economic growth rates, but it 
has been shaken by the global economic downturn. Its central bank has 
spent a fifth of its reserves to guard against a steep devaluation of 
its currency, the lat, and experts expect a 5 percent contraction of the 
country’s gross domestic product in 2009. Salaries are expected to fall 
substantially, and unemployment is expected to rise.
The violence followed days of clashes in Greece last month over a number 
of issues, including economic stagnation and rising poverty as well as 
widespread corruption and a troubled education system. In Bulgaria on 
Wednesday, separate riots broke out in the capital, Sofia, after more 
than 2,000 people — including students, farmers and environmental 
activists — demonstrated in front of Parliament over economic 
conditions, Reuters reported.
Mr. Zatlers has long been aligned with the governing coalition, so his 
threat to dissolve Parliament came as a surprise — and was testament to 
nervousness about how economic troubles in the region could intersect 
with simmering political grievances.
The rioting broke out Tuesday after around 10,000 people protested in 
historic Dome Square over the economic troubles and grievances involving 
corruption and competence of the government.
Several hundred protesters lingered after most of the crowd had left and 
started throwing snowballs and cobblestones at government buildings.
Several demonstrators also threw Molotov cocktails, according to Mareks 
Mattisons, a spokesman for Latvia’s Interior Ministry. In a public 
statement on Wednesday, President Zatlers denounced the violence, but 
said it was more important to ask “why people gathered in Dome Square.”
“We must not face further confrontation, we must do the things that are 
demanded by the public,” he said. “I refer to constitutional amendments, 
a plan to stimulate the economy, and reform of the national system of 
governance.”
Krisjanis Karins, a member of Parliament and former leader of the 
opposition New Era party, said the violence showed that financial woes 
had injected a new vehemence into old political complaints.
Protests in Latvia, he said, tended to follow a pattern of “standing, 
singing and just going home,” but the young protesters who showed up on 
Tuesday evening “seem to think the Greek or French way of expressing 
anger is better,” he said.
“In our neck of the woods, this just doesn’t happen,” he said. “But it 
did this time. Everyone is trying to figure out how much of this was 
provoked. Who are these people? Where did they come from?”
Whatever the answer, he said, Tuesday’s protests seem likely to force 
political change.
“In six months, we’re going to look back and yesterday will be a 
watershed,” he said. “I would be deeply surprised if it were not.”
President Zatlers made a series of strict demands of the Parliament, 
including a constitutional amendment that would allow voters to dismiss 
Parliament, and a new supervisory council to oversee economic 
development and the state’s use of loans.
He called for “new faces in the government,” chosen for competence 
rather than “their influence in the relevant party.” He said the changes 
must be made by March 31, or else he would propose a referendum that 
could dissolve Parliament.
“Only with such specific work can we calm the public down and offer at 
least a bit of hope that the process in this country will develop in a 
favorable direction,” he said.






http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2008624354_apeulatviaantigovernmentprotests.html?syndication=rss

Wednesday, January 14, 2009 at 4:56 PM
Latvia's president blasts politicians after riot
Latvia's president lashed out at lawmakers and threatened to dissolve 
Parliament after more than 40 people were injured in the worst rioting 
since the Baltic country split from the Soviet Union in 1991.
By GARY PEACH
Associated Press Writer
RIGA, Latvia —
Latvia's president lashed out at lawmakers and threatened to dissolve 
Parliament after more than 40 people were injured in the worst rioting 
since the Baltic country split from the Soviet Union in 1991.
President Valdis Zatlers said Wednesday he would disband the legislature 
by March 31 unless lawmakers agree to a series of reforms to help 
restore political and economic order in the crisis-hit nation.
Latvia's economy was once the fastest-growing in the European Union, but 
it has undergone a dramatic reversal and is expected to contract 5 
percent this year. The Central Bank burned through about one-third of 
its reserves to defend the currency, the lat, and unemployment rocketed 
from 6 percent to 7 percent in December.
International lenders including the EU, the International Monetary Fund 
and Nordic countries have pledged $10.5 billion in financial assistance 
to help the nation of 2.3 million recover.
Zatlers' ultimatum came a day after an anti-government demonstration 
that included an estimated 10,000 participants turned violent when 
scores of angry protesters tried to storm Parliament and clashed with 
police.
More than 40 people were injured, mostly protesters but also six police 
officers and eight military police, Interior Ministry spokeswoman Sigita 
Pildava said. Police detained 106 people.
The rampage echoes similar clashes in Greece and Bulgaria, where 
protesters vented their anger at deteriorating economic conditions and 
widespread corruption.
In Latvia, government and opposition leaders blamed each other for the 
violence, but Zatlers said politicians must address "the catastrophic 
collapse of trust in authorities and state officials" that was expressed 
at the demonstration.
His ultimatum surprised many in the Baltic state considering the current 
coalition placed him in the president's chair. In Latvia, the president 
is elected by Parliament.
Latvians are irate about the country's deepening recession, and many 
blame Prime Minister Ivars Godmanis' center-right government for the 
economic woes.
Zatlers demanded lawmakers amend the constitution to give voters the 
right to dissolve the legislature between elections, and called for the 
creation of a council to oversee Latvia's economic recovery program.
He also told Godmanis that his Cabinet had to restructure the way the 
government works, including minimizing the number of ministerial posts.
"Both Parliament and the government have lost touch with voters," 
Zatlers told reporters.
The violence started as a peaceful anti-government demonstration ended 
in Riga's historic Old Town. Most of the demonstrators left the area but 
about 100 of them turned violent and tried to storm the Parliament 
building. Riot police kept them away, using tear gas and truncheons.
The rioters pelted officers with cobblestones and chunks of ice and 
vandalized three police vehicles. They smashed windows of boutiques, the 
Finance Ministry and a bank, and looted a liquor store.
Godmanis told the LNT TV station Wednesday that protest organizers bear 
responsibility for the violence, citing their decision to hold the rally 
despite tensions over the deepening economic crisis.
Opposition lawmaker Aigars Stokenbergs, one of the rally's main 
organizers, called the government incompetent for not providing 
sufficient security at the protest.
"What happened at Parliament was because of a lack of competence on the 
part of the Interior Ministry," Stokenbergs told The Associated Press. 
He called on Interior Minister Mareks Seglins to step down.





http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7013699831

Protesters, Riot Cops Clash In Latvia
January 13, 2009 7:54 p.m. EST
AHN Staff
Riga, Latvia (AHN) - Some 10,000 protesters angered by the economic 
crisis in Latvia clashed with riot police guarding the parliament in the 
capital city of Riga on Tuesday as they demanded new elections and a new 
government.
Several people were injured when young protesters hurled rocks and 
snowballs, broke windows and ripped up cobblestones while baton-wielding 
policemen fired tear gas and charged the demonstrators.
The rally organized by opposition parties and labor unions sought the 
ouster of centre-right Prime Minister Ivars Godmanis as the Baltic 
country once touted as an "economic tiger" of the European Union 
struggle against double-digit inflation, budget deficit, a 15 percent 
slash in state employees' pay and corruption.





http://www.iii.co.uk/shares/?type=news&articleid=7113451&action=article

(AFX UK Focus) 2009-01-13 18:33
Riot police clash with protesters in Latvia
RIGA, Jan 13 (Reuters) - Latvian riot police used teargas and truncheons 
after dozens of anti-government demonstrators tried to break into 
parliament on Tuesday.
The clashes broke out after an earlier peaceful protest attended by 
thousands of people to call for early elections in a country which has 
had to take a 7.5 billion euro ($9.97 billion) loan from the IMF and 
European Union after hitting recession.
"Dissolve parliament, dissolve parliament" chanted protesters as dozens 
of burly men rushed a line of anti-riot police outside the parliament 
building.
Several hundred other people looked on and chanted. People threw bottles 
at parliament smashing windows and eggs were hurled at police. As 
demonstrators pushed forward, police sprayed them with teargas.
The larger earlier peaceful 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 to the president: to call early elections and 
to dissolve parliament," Artis Pabriks, a former foreign minister and 
now an opposition parliamentarian, told the crowd in a central city square.
Latvia was the European Union's fastest growing economy until last year, 
when the credit crunch dried up its consumer fuelled boom. The 
government had to call for international aid as its budget revenues sank.
(Reporting by Patrick Lannin)






http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/LD223079.htm

Latvian anti-government protest turns into riot
13 Jan 2009 22:26:17 GMT
Source: Reuters
(Adds quotes, details)
By Patrick Lannin and Jorgen Johansson
RIGA, Jan 13 (Reuters) - 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, 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, was the worst seen since the collapse of the 
former Soviet Union in 1991.
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, a mixture of Russian-speaking and Latvian youths, 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 ($9.97 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. (Editing by Alison Williams)