Was it really forbidden to bring flowers to the Russian embassy in Latvia after the attack?

The primary source of information was the Russian Embassy in Latvia, which spread a message on social networks Facebook and Telegram, claiming that the local police did not allow people to bring flowers.

“Latvian police prohibited unsuspecting citizens from approaching the building of the diplomatic mission and honoring the memory of the victims of the terrible terrorist act,” according to the embassy’s post on social networks.

This message was later disseminated by a Russian news agency TASSvarious media outlets of the country, as well as a popular pro-Russian blogger who previously had political asylum in Lithuania Anatoly Shariyus.

However, no one forbade the victims and relatives of the attack in Russia to pay their respects with flowers or candles – people could do that in the square in front of the embassy building.

The message from the embassy and various publications are silent on several things.

First of all, the sidewalk near the fence of the Russian Embassy is quite narrow, so there is not much space for temporary memorials.

Also, for the safety of the embassy staff, from the end of February 2022, all commemorative actions, protests and similar gatherings will take place in the square across the street from the embassy building.

This requirement has no political undertones and does not depend on whether the gathering is organized by Kremlin sympathizers or opposition representatives – the local police thus seeks to avoid possible security incidents.

For example, a temporary memorial to a murdered person In memory of Alexei Navalny was also installed across the street. Destroyed by the Russians in Ukraine, it stood there for a long time tankwas hanging posterin which Putin’s face is depicted as a skull.

Google street view photo/Building in front of the Russian Embassy in Riga

15 minutes verdict: context is missing. The TASS agency and several other Russian media outlets and bloggers distorted the initial reports of the Russian embassy in Riga – police officers on duty at the diplomatic mission did not forbid public expressions of sympathy for the victims of the terrorist attack in Russia.

The publication was prepared in 15 minutes in partnership with Metait aims to stop the spread of misleading news on the social network. More about the program and its rules – here.