Latvia brings down Soviet-era monument’s obelisk in capital

By JAN M. OLSEN
Associated Press

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — A concrete obelisk topped by Soviet stars that was the centerpiece of a monument commemorating the Red Army’s victory over Nazi Germany has been taken down in Latvia’s capital of Riga. The nearly 80-meter (260-foot) column had stood like a high-rise in downtown Riga. Latvian media broadcast its removal live on Thursday. Onlookers cheered and applauded as the obelisk crashed into a nearby pond at Victory Park. The monument was built in 1985 while Latvia was still part of the Soviet Union. It had stirred controversy since Latvia regained independence in 1991. Lawmakers voted in May to take it down after Russia invaded Ukraine in February.