As Latvia marks the 35th anniversary of the Barricades, a period of intense civic resistance against Soviet rule in January 1991, concerns are rising that younger generations lack a comprehensive understanding of this pivotal moment in the nation’s history. Following the violent crackdown on protesters in Vilnius, lithuania, citizens across Latvia spontaneously erected barricades to protect key infrastructure and demonstrate their commitment to independence. This report delves into the events of those tense days, the lasting legacy of the Barricades, and a new initiative aimed at ensuring this crucial chapter of Latvian history is not forgotten.
In January, Latvia commemorates the events surrounding the Barricades, a pivotal moment in the nation’s fight for independence. Thirty-five years ago, on January 12, members of the Latvian Popular Front (LTF) decided to construct barricades to protect strategically important locations in Riga and other Latvian cities. The swift action came amid growing tensions and following tragic events in neighboring Lithuania.
The following day, January 13, the Supreme Council of the Latvian Republic adopted an “Appeal to the Latvian People” and a resolution establishing a defense headquarters. Andrejs Krastiņš led the headquarters, with Odisejs Kostanda and Tālavs Jundzis serving as his deputies. Latvian Agriculture Minister Dainis Ģēģeris, along with Transportation Minister Jānis Janovski, ordered the deployment of heavy agricultural and construction equipment to block access to the barricades.
“Just like patriots, only armed,” reflects Renārs Zaļo, director of the 1991 Barricades Museum and a member of the Barricades Association, in a recent interview.
Do you think today’s younger generation knows enough about the Barricades?
“It’s not just young people who lack knowledge about the Barricades. Even those in their 40s and 50s often have limited understanding, as they were only children at the time. Some do remember, but those without family connections to the events are largely unaware.”
Isn’t this history taught in schools? How can it be unknown? After all, there was the Awakening and the restoration of an independent state.
“We all naively assumed it would be common knowledge,” Zaļo said. “Our generation certainly knows. But what is being taught in schools? I recently spoke to a group of about 30 teachers and asked how many had personally experienced the Barricades. Only about three raised their hands. Teachers, too, have changed over the years.”
Zaļo explained that a project is underway to address this gap in knowledge. On January 20, a history lesson will be conducted simultaneously in schools across Latvia, delivered via a 45-minute video. The lesson will focus on the necessity of the Barricades, how they were organized, and their lasting impact. An accompanying exhibit will be held near the Freedom Monument.
So, what did the Barricades give us?
“They gave us the Latvia we live in today, not a Belarus or Russia,” Zaļo stated. “The video and exhibit will show that it wasn’t simply people from the countryside sitting around campfires drinking tea and reading the ‘Atmoda’ newspaper. It was a determined effort to safeguard the nation’s future.”
You mentioned that newspapers couldn’t be printed at the time because the Press House was occupied by OMON. Do you have any data on how many Barricade participants have been awarded commemorative badges?
“More than 40,000 people have been honored with commemorative badges. However, there’s no accurate count of how many participants are still alive. Of the eight Bauska militia officers who joined the Barricades, only half remain… In total, around 55,000 people participated in the Barricades.”
Where exactly were the Barricades located?
“Primarily in Riga, but also in Kuldīga and Liepāja. In Ulbroka, which isn’t part of Riga, people guarded radio and television transmission towers. In Bauska, equipment was stationed near the Mūsa and Mēmele bridges, ready to block them against Soviet armored vehicles and tanks. I haven’t had the resources to fully document every location across Latvia and the number of people involved. Serious research requires funding, and it takes years, not just a few months. We had some young researchers, but they often moved on to better-paying jobs.”
Zaļo recalled a specific incident: “When we, rural militiamen, were called to assist Barricade participants in Riga, we walked across Dome Square – in militia uniforms, armed with automatic weapons. People’s attitude towards the police was, of course, wary. We were a group of militiamen, and everyone was speaking Latvian amongst ourselves. That surprised people! We were then invited to join the campfires and talk. Everyone understood that we were Latvian patriots, just in uniform.”
We can, if we want to
The events unfolded rapidly. On the morning of January 13, following a Soviet military attack on the Vilnius television tower defenders, LTF leaders Dainis Īvāns and Romualds Ražuks appealed to the Latvian people via Latvian Radio. A protest rally on the Daugava embankment drew approximately 500,000 people, demonstrating support for Lithuania and a commitment to restoring Latvia’s independence.
Residents of Riga began constructing barricades in the narrow streets of the Old Town. Heavy equipment was redirected to protect vital infrastructure. In the first few days, trucks and trailers arrived from rural areas and smaller towns, carrying logs, concrete blocks, rubble, and other building materials. The vehicles were positioned diagonally in the Old Town streets to impede the movement of tanks. The main anticipated attacks were expected from the Daugava embankment, through Dome Square, from Bastejkalns past the Powder Tower, and from Torņa Street through Jēkaba Street – all areas heavily fortified with vehicles. Anti-tank obstacles, including “hedgehogs” brought by fishermen from Vecmīlgrāvis, were also deployed, and tank traps were welded on-site.
Key objectives to be protected included the Latvian Supreme Council, the Latvian Council of Ministers, the Latvian Radio building in Dome Square, the Telephone and Telegraph Center on Dzirnavu Street, the Radio and Television Center on Zaķusala Island, and the bridges. Boris Yeltsin, Chairman of the Supreme Soviet of the Russian SFSR, called on conscripts serving in the Russian military to refuse participation in actions against civilians. The 103rd Airborne Division from Vitebsk refused to deploy to Riga.
On January 14, Soviet OMON special forces attacked Barricade defenders on Vecmīlgrāvis and Brasas bridges, resulting in vehicles being fired upon and burned, and people being injured.
Meanwhile, a plenary session of the Latvian Communist Party took place in Riga, where First Secretary Alfreds Rubiks warned that Latvia’s secession from the USSR would lead to the restoration of a proto-fascist, totalitarian nationalist dictatorship. The plenum also supported a demand for the introduction of presidential rule in the Latvian SSR and decided to appeal to Soviet President Gorbachev with this proposal.
The Interfront radio station “Sodružestvo” repeatedly broadcast announcements claiming a military coup was underway in Riga. Simultaneously, Gunārs Meierovics, Chairman of the World Federation of Free Latvians, issued a statement about the events in the Baltic states and set the goal of closely cooperating with the Latvian government to influence Western governments to block Soviet aggression against the Baltic countries.
The European Council also adopted a communiqué stating that the recent events in Lithuania threatened the foundations of cooperation between the European Council and the USSR. Fjodors Kuzmins, Commander-in-Chief of the Baltic Military District, issued an ultimatum to the Latvian Supreme Council, while Džohars Dudajev, commander of the 326th Strategic Bomber Division based in Tartu, addressed Estonian National Radio, declaring that he would not allow the Soviet army to use Baltic airspace.
These events unfolded within a compressed timeframe, meticulously organized. The Barricades in Riga were dismantled in the autumn of 1992, well after the USSR had recognized Latvia’s full independence in September 1991 and an agreement had been reached for the withdrawal of Russian Federation troops.
