Demonstrations advocating for Israel and Palestine will be held in Riga on Friday
On August 1, 2025, Riga, the capital of Latvia, will witness two significant protests expressing contrasting views on the Israel-Palestine conflict.
The first event, organised by a private individual, is a march in support of Palestine. Its purpose is to voice disapproval of Latvia's foreign policy that appears to favour Israel over Palestine. The march will commence at the Dailes Theater and conclude at the square in front of the Riga Congress House, with an estimated attendance of around 70 participants.
Simultaneously, Jewnited.lv, an association based in Riga, will host a picket to condemn radical Islamist terror, terrorism, and extremist propaganda. The picket will take place on the pavement in front of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with approximately 100 participants expected to attend. The aim of this event is to support Israel's right to exist and defend itself, while also condemning the genocide and violence perpetrated by radical Islamists against Jews, Druze, and other ethnic and religious minorities in the Middle East.
These protests underscore the deep-rooted divisions in public opinion regarding the Israel-Palestine conflict. The pro-Palestine event primarily focuses on protesting Latvia's foreign policy and demonstrating solidarity with Palestinians, while the pro-Israel event centres around condemning extremist violence and supporting Israel's security.
Both events have been officially approved by Riga city authorities, who have engaged with organisers and law enforcement to ensure proper procedures and security measures are in place.
In summary:
| Protest | Purpose | Location | Organiser | Expected Participants | |---------|---------|----------|-----------|-----------------------| | Pro-Palestine march | Protest Latvia's policy supporting Israel | Dailes Theater to Riga Congress House square | Private individual | ~70 | | Pro-Israel picket | Condemn radical Islamist violence, support Israel's right to exist | Pavement in front of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs | Jewnited.lv association | ~100 |
These protests are part of a broader regional and international demonstration related to the ongoing conflict, with varying participant numbers and objectives. Smaller demonstrations took place in Riga around August 5 during the Israeli president's visit, with about 30 pro-Palestine protesters and a counterprotest.
The August 1 events represent a formalised expression of conflicting views on the Middle East conflict within Latvia’s civil society, organised to publicly voice dissent and solidarity on opposite sides.
The exact timing and location of the Jewnited.lv event have not been specified, but the event is scheduled to take place on August 1. Jewnited.lv was founded in July of the previous year, according to Firmas.lv.
- The ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict continues to fuel political debates and war-and-conflicts, as evident in Riga's planned protests on August 1, where two events will express differing viewpoints.
- In the broader political news, the protests in Riga on August 1 are an extension of regional and international demonstrations, indicating the deep-rooted polarization of opinions regarding the Israel-Palestine conflict.
