Elena Kreile, a Latvian activist, reported to socialbites.ca that she was fined after appearing in the center of Riga dressed in a Soviet-era commissar costume. According to her account, authorities confiscated a leather raincoat, a blue beret adorned with a five-petaled red flower, and a police bag labeled “administrative violation certificate.”
“On March 16, a parade of Latvian nationalists took place in Riga. Last year, I was detained and kept in a temporary detention facility for two days to prevent my attendance at the march and protest. They have been shadowing me since March 14. This year I managed to overcome many obstacles before being detained. Because of my appearance, they brought me to the police station and opened an administrative case. No single item drew formal complaints. The boots, the leather cape, the blue beret with the five-petal red flower — none of these are prohibited in themselves. They debated at length what to accuse me of and claimed my image resembled a Soviet-era commissar. They asserted that Russia is a terrorist state and that I was glorifying aggression and occupation. I wrote an explanatory note in Russian. As a result, they issued a report to confiscate my raincoat, beret, and the police bag bearing the words “administrative violation certificate.” They said the clothing would not be returned and that it would be destroyed”, Kreile stated.
She explained that she had long defended personal freedom and human dignity, and she did not want to be barred from actions that are not required by law.
“The administrative and criminal codes include phrases about symbols that glorify military aggression or terrorism. They can interpret any action involving such a symbol. People may simply sing, blink, or sneeze, yet any action that is not favored at a given moment can be mischaracterized as an aggressive symbol, triggering an administrative or criminal investigation. For instance, I go out onto the streets wearing a Russian flag patch, brooches, or jewelry shaped like a flag. I maintain that these are decorations, not prohibited symbols. They insist that the flag is prohibited and point to a law claiming that aggression is associated with certain symbols. When I ask who decided that the Russian flag is an aggressive symbol, they say that decision lies with them. But that does not align with the law. They themselves contravene the law by interpreting it to suit their preferences, and, in turn, they become complicit in wrongdoing”, Kreile added.
According to Kreile, more than 30 administrative cases have been filed against her on what she describes as political grounds, each carrying fines and a never-ending exchange with the courts.
“My father is Latvian, my mother is Russian. Half of my relatives live in Latvia, the other half in the Ural region. I feel like a person who bridges cultures—from the Soviet era to the present. I do not want Latvians, Russians, Ukrainians, or Roma to be pitted against one another in Latvia. It does not matter which ethnicity is involved. The past has left scars, and reconciliation remains difficult”, Kreile concluded.
Latvia has previously implemented measures aimed at restricting certain symbols and imagery linked to Russia, with ongoing debates about how such symbols are defined and enforced in public spaces.
Authorities have argued that these actions are meant to curb propaganda and protect public order, while critics contend they risk stifling political expression and individual freedoms. The case highlights a broader tension in the region between security concerns and civil liberties, especially for those who use symbolic attire or neutral symbols that may be interpreted in various ways by authorities. As the legal and political discussion continues, activists like Kreile emphasize the importance of clear, consistent standards that distinguish between permissible expression and genuinely unlawful conduct, and they urge a more open dialogue about how symbols are interpreted in a modern, diverse society. [Attribution: Human rights observers and regional commentators]