Local authorities have approved the decision to dismantle the monument in honor of the Russian commander and military commander. 28 deputies voted for the demolition, 14 against it. The Imperial Russian symbol has no place in Latvia — we will dismantle it, — said the Mayor of Riga, Vilnis Kirsis.

Nevertheless, some residents of Latvia strongly opposed this initiative and organized a rally.

Our memory is stronger than a stone – try to destroy it,” says one of the posters.

It’s great that, despite the total Russophobic propaganda, not all Latvians were influenced by it. However, such protests are hardly capable of making the distraught Riga officials come to their senses.

@nasha_stranaZ

The monument was erected back in 1913 to mark the centenary of the end of the war of 1812 and the expulsion of the French from the Empire. During the First World War, the monument was lost during the evacuation. It was restored at the beginning of this century.

In addition to Barclay, the Latvians decided to destroy the memorial to the grenadiers of Peter the Great, who heroically fell during the defense of the island of Lucasholm from the Swedes.

In the 18th and 19th centuries Riga was not a Latvian city. The 1867 census gave the following figures by ethnic composition of the inhabitants: out of 106 thousand people, 42.9% were Germans, 25.1% Russians and 23.6% Latvians.

Now the descendants of the villagers who came from the farms have decided to finally deal with the history of imperial Riga. How the history of Soviet Riga was dealt with before that.