Freedom Monument – Cosmos Tour
By sandra. Filed in Cosmos Jewels of the Baltic Tour, Europe, History, Latvia |
At the edge of Riga’s Old Town, there is a 1935 bronze statue designed by the famous Latvian architect Karlis Zale. Nicknamed Milda, she hold up 3 gold stars representing the 3 Latvian regions. this Freedom Monument was and is a symbol for wanting independence and is a podium for this idea.
The Latvians were afraid that the Soviets would demolish the monument, but instead they thought of it as depicting Mother Russia.
During the Communist occupation people were afraid to even look at it or go near it, since the KGB always watched it for subversive activity. In 1941 when some people laid flowers there, 1,000’s were sent to Siberia.
On November 8, 2001, this was the site where a young girl slapped Prince Charles in the face with a carnation in protest to the British involvement in Afghanistan. She was subject to a sentence of 15 years in prison for endangering the health of a foreign dignitary, but it was later reduced to hooliganism, and she got a suspended sentence.