Authorities in Riga have fenced off Latvia’s most revered landmark, the Freedom Monument, amid fears that visiting England football fans could desecrate it ahead of Tuesday’s World Cup qualifier.
The precaution follows a series of incidents involving British tourists, including arrests and public outrage, that have tarnished the city’s relationship with English visitors.
The 138ft Freedom Monument, a towering tribute to Latvian soldiers who died fighting for independence from Russia, has long stood as a symbol of national pride.
But in recent decades it has also become a magnet for drunken misbehaviour by foreign tourists.
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Riga city council confirmed on Monday that fencing had been installed around the monument and police patrols would be stepped up to “ensure public order and safety.”
In a statement, the council warned that “England football fans are known for their loud and emotional behaviour, which often pushes the limits of public order,” urging residents to report any disorder to authorities.
An estimated 2,500 England supporters have travelled to Riga for the match, and local officials have made no secret of their concerns.
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Authorities in Riga have fenced off Latvia’s most revered landmark, the Freedom Monument, amid fears that visiting England football fans could desecrate it ahead of Tuesday’s World Cup qualifier
|GETTY
The British reputation in the Baltic capital has suffered since the early 2000s, when cheap flights and affordable beer transformed the city into a popular destination for stag and hen parties.
The resulting influx of rowdy visitors prompted years of complaints from locals and officials alike.
In 2008, a 34-year-old man from London was jailed for urinating on the Freedom Monument, prompting Latvia’s then–interior minister Mareks Seglins to brand his behaviour “disgraceful” and label British tourists “dirty, hoggish people.”
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The Freedom Monument in Latvia has been targeted by rowdy football fans in the past
|GETTY
The year before, a Scottish visitor had been detained for climbing the monument and exposing himself.
Former Riga mayor Nils Usakovs also condemned drunken British behaviour, accusing them of damaging the city’s image.
“If we also had other tourists, then British visitors who p**s about all the time would not be as noticeable,” he said in 2009.
“Let’s not be politically correct – unfortunately, this is their speciality.”
His spokesperson went further, adding that “the British first started to make bachelor parties and the most popular thing was using our Freedom Monument as a toilet.
“We have a stigma about British tourists. They are probably not the ones we want to see.”
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The monument, often compared to New York’s Statue of Liberty, remains one of Riga’s most visited landmarks and a focal point for national ceremonies.
But for now, metal fencing and police guards surround its base, a stark reminder of the uneasy relationship between Latvian authorities and English supporters.
England can secure World Cup qualification with victory over Latvia, who were held to a 2–2 draw by Andorra at the weekend.
The match will take place at the 10,500-capacity Daugava Stadium, a ground criticised by its own players for lacking atmosphere due to its athletics track and distant stands.