Riga Talk

Mayn, ain’t nothing real overwhelming happened last night actually.

Maybe I feel like that cause I was shooting hoops over in Pardaugava and missed some of the live action? TV, breaking news type of live action, I mean.

The reporters seemed like nearly enjoying this mess. I don’t know but to me, this whole riot thing doesn’t look like something crazy-violent-destructive civil disorder or whatever they might call it.

Some stores damaged on Smilshu street, broken Parliament windows, police cars overturned. And no tear gas (I mean I saw a cop on TV using a hand-held spray, but that’s about it), no plastic bullets or water cannons used against the rioters. Couple hours and it’s silent.

I hear people saying that police were not ready and was kinda slow. But that’s because the whole riot was “slow”! There were no organized actions, the whole thing was chaotic, so I guess cops just stayed low-key on purpose, not to provoke the crowd. So it appears they did a pretty good job.

And after all, the rioters were several hundreds mostly drunk youth who stayed in the Old Town following the protest on the Doma Square. Thousands of protestants who gathered on the Square demanding the Parliament resignation were peaceful and bounced away in a few hours.

Thanks God it’s all over though.

More than 100 arrested, tens hurt and hospitalized – and do we need it? If the Parliament resigns, will shit change? I guess it just stays the same.