The 2009 Riga riot was an outbreak of civil unrest in
Riga,
Latvia, on January 13, 2009, lasting for three hours following the economic downturn of the
2008 Latvian financial crisis as well as political discontent with the Latvian government's continued pursuance of
austerity policies. Around 10,000 people gathered for anti-government protests which eventually became violent. The riot was the worst outbreak of violence in Latvia since 1991 when Latvia
declared independence from the
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...
.
Background
Before the riot, the
All for Latvia party organized a
rally
Rally or rallye may refer to:
Gatherings
* Demonstration (political), a political rally, a political demonstration of support or protest, march, or parade
* Pep rally, an event held at a United States school or college sporting event
Sport ...
demanding that the
President of Latvia dissolve the
Saeima as well as call
early elections. Protesters were concerned mainly with the competence of their political administration, corruption and the economic downturn caused by the
2008 Latvian financial crisis. The financial crisis resulted in a recession and an unemployment crisis after Latvia had been the fastest growing economy in Europe for several consecutive years.
Riot
After the crowd had become violent, some attempted to storm the Saeima but were repulsed by riot police with
Mace,
truncheons and
tear gas
Tear gas, also known as a lachrymator agent or lachrymator (), sometimes colloquially known as "mace" after the early commercial aerosol, is a chemical weapon that stimulates the nerves of the lacrimal gland in the eye to produce tears. In ...
. After the failed attempt at storming the parliament, ice, rocks and other debris were thrown at government buildings as well as police. After the rioters had been dispersed by police they regrouped at
Vecrīga
Vecrīga ("Old Riga") is the historical center and a neighbourhood (as Vecpilsēta) of Riga, Latvia, located in the Central District on the east side of Daugava River. Vecrīga is famous for its old churches and cathedrals, such as Riga Cathedr ...
where the smashing of windows as well as the looting of shops began.
Aftermath
Following the riot, 126 people were arrested and at least 25 injured, although these numbers are disputed.
On February 20, the
cabinet of prime minister
Ivars Godmanis
Ivars Godmanis (born 27 November 1951) is a Latvian politician who served as the Prime Minister of Latvia from 1990 to 1993 and again from 2007 to 2009. He was the first Prime Minister of Latvia after the country restored its independence from t ...
was dissolved and he resigned his position as head of the government. Similar protests took place in
Vilnius
Vilnius ( , ; see also other names) is the capital and largest city of Lithuania, with a population of 592,389 (according to the state register) or 625,107 (according to the municipality of Vilnius). The population of Vilnius's functional urb ...
,
Lithuania, three days after the protest in Riga, these protests also ending in similar riots.
The
Social Democratic Party "Harmony" gained considerable popularity after the riots.
See also
*
2008 Greek riots
The 2008 Greek riots started on 6 December 2008, when Alexandros Grigoropoulos ( el, Αλέξανδρος Γρηγορόπουλος), a 15-year-old Greek student, was killed by a special officer in Exarcheia district of central Athens. The kill ...
*
Financial crisis of 2007–2008
Finance is the study and discipline of money, currency and capital assets. It is related to, but not synonymous with economics, the study of production, distribution, and consumption of money, assets, goods and services (the discipline of fi ...
*
Credit Crunch
A credit crunch (also known as a credit squeeze, credit tightening or credit crisis) is a sudden reduction in the general availability of loans (or credit) or a sudden tightening of the conditions required to obtain a loan from banks. A credit cr ...
References
Riga riot
Riga riot
Political riots
Political history of Latvia
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