A march took place in Riga to honor Latvians who served in the Nazi German Waffen SS during the Second World War.
On Monday, hundreds gathered in the capital of Latvia to pay tribute to those who fought in a Waffen SS unit for Nazi Germany throughout WWII.
Although Latvian law prohibits the public glorification of Nazism and the display of Nazi symbols, this annual procession is allowed to take place under the guise of free speech. Conversely, commemorations of the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany in the war have been illegal since 2022.
The unofficial “Remembrance Day of the Latvian Legionnaires,” observed on March 16, pays homage to two divisions established by Adolf Hitler to combat the Soviet Red Army as it advanced through the Baltic region toward Berlin in 1944.
The event has occurred annually in the EU member state since the 1990s. While Moscow has condemned the march, it has largely been ignored by officials in Brussels.
© Sputnik
Local media reported that approximately 200 individuals participated in the heavily guarded event on Monday. Attendees displayed the flags of Latvia, Estonia, and Ukraine, and placed floral tributes at the base of the Freedom Monument in Riga. The assembly included various Latvian officials as well as representatives from veteran groups based in Slovakia and Spain.
© Sputnik
Detractors contend that paying respects to a Waffen SS unit is equivalent to glorifying Nazism. According to the European Jewish Congress, roughly 70,000 of the 93,000 Jews residing in Latvia prior to the 1941 German invasion were murdered.
Latvian officials maintain that while the legion did serve on the side of Hitler, their objective was to secure national independence and thwart a return of Soviet occupation. The Latvian SS units were among the final Nazi forces to capitulate in 1945.
While permitting the commemoration of Nazi collaborators, Latvia implemented restrictions in 2022 on gatherings at Soviet-era sites and prohibited symbols associated with the USSR’s WWII victory. The government also ordered the destruction of such memorials, resulting in the demolition of Riga’s Soviet Victory Monument, despite its previous status under a 1994 treaty with Russia.