Latvia: All March 16 Rallies Banned

The Economist's Edward Lucas writes ^[1] that “for once, the anniversary of a wartime battle in Latvia should pass off peacefully” on March 16. Juris Kaža of Free Speech Emergency in Latvia reports on the ban ^[2] on “all marches and gatherings at the Freedom Monument on March 16, the day that the Latvian Legion, formed under German occupation in 1943, is commemorated.” In a comment posted on Lucas’ blog, Kaža adds ^[3]: “But there is a big row building. The supporters of the Legionnaires are angry about the ban […], the nationalists of varying intensity are angry, the ‘anti-fascists’ are not pleased (they, too, are banned) and supporters of the freedom of speech and assembly, such as myself are angry, too.”