BBC World Service - Witness History, The ‘Barricades’ of Latvia (original) (raw)

The ‘Barricades’ of Latvia

People from across Latvia took to Riga's streets in 1991, to show their desire for independence from the Soviet Union. More than 500,000 people barricaded landmarks in the city.

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In January 1991, more than half a million people protested in Riga, the capital city of Latvia. They wanted to stop Soviet troops taking over important landmarks, so they built barricades and camped out on the streets.

Vents Krauklis was among the demonstrators. He’s been speaking to Laura Jones.

(Photo: People filling the streets of Riga during the Barricades. Credit: 1991 Barricades Museum, Riga/Ilgvars Gradovskis)

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