From now on, the ban on using flags, coats of arms, anthems and symbols, including stylised ones, of the former USSR and Nazi Germany will also apply to public entertainment and festive events. This is stipulated by the amendments to the Law on Safety during Public Entertainment and Festive Events that the Saeima adopted in the final reading on Thursday, 20 June.
The Law has been supplemented with a new article on general restrictions at events. The new article prohibits spreading of war propaganda, glorification or abetting of crimes and other offences, as well as the use of symbols of the former USSR, former republics of the USSR and Nazi Germany – i.e., their respective flags, coats of arms, anthems, Nazi swastikas, SS insignia and soviet symbols – i.e., the hammer and sickle and the five-pointed star. The new article also prohibits conduct that endangers the safety and health of the participants of the event or bystanders.
The amendments also prohibit participants of public events to contest Latvia’s independence and territorial integrity, to suggest violent overthrow of the existing order, to call for disobedience of laws, to promote violence and hatred, and to openly propagate Nazi, fascist and communism ideologies.
Persons failing to comply with these regulations will be held responsible in accordance with the procedure set by law.
Within the scope of the Law, a public event is a publicly accessible festive, commemorative, entertainment, sports or leisure event planned and organised by a natural person or legal entity in a public place regardless of its ownership.
Saeima Press Service