Main narratives:
- Latvia is Russophobic
Overview:
Over the last week, multiple posts covered an incident in which Gundars Trops, Chief of the Latgale Regional Department of the State Police, allegedly called ethnically Russian policemen “occupiers”. This evoked a strong negative reaction in Kremlin-aligned Telegram channels which used this incident as proof that Latvia is Russophobic. Member of the Parliament from the Stability! party Aleksejs Roslikovs expressed strong disapproval of labeling Russian speakers as “occupiers,” asserting that no one has the authority to do so. Another case was used to further the Russophobia narrative. A cafe in Latvia had received criticism for using the Russian language in its social media.
This situation reflects ongoing tensions in Latvia around language, ethnicity, and historical memory, particularly regarding the Soviet period. The alleged comments by Gundars Trops are particularly sensitive given his senior position in law enforcement in Latgale – a region with a significant ethnic Russian population. The fact that he allegedly directed these comments at police officers under his command transforms this from a personal statement into an institutional issue. The term “occupier” carries specific historical weight in Latvia, referencing the Soviet occupation period (1940-1941 and 1944-1991). The term “occupier” remains a deeply contentious issue in Latvia as Latvian speakers and Russian speakers perceive the Soviet occupation period differently.
