Riga NGO Support Rally Faces Counter‑Protest at Freedom Monument

On the evening of a Wednesday in Riga, a rally titled “Rokas nost no pilsoniskās sabiedrības” (Hands Off Civil Society) was organized by the youth group Protests to back non‑governmental organisations (NGOs) amid talks of possible funding cuts. Dozens of supporters assembled near the Freedom Monument, displaying slogans defending NGOs and highlighting their role during the Ukrainian refugee crisis.

A nationalist youth movement, Latvija latviešiem, arrived with opposing placards, leading to a sharp verbal clash that required police presence to keep order. The event prompted government officials, including Minister of State Andris Kulbergs, to promise an analysis of state funding for NGOs and to schedule a discussion on future financing within the next weeks.

The rally underscored a broader debate in Latvia over civil society’s place in politics, the need for NGO‑state cooperation, and concerns about potential restrictions on funding and civil liberties.