| Statue of Alexander Pushkin | |
|---|---|
| Artist | Alexander Tartynov |
| Year | 2009 |
| Medium | Bronze (statue), granite (base) |
| Subject | Alexander Pushkin |
| Condition | Removed in 2023 |
| Location | Riga, Latvia |
| 56°57′21″N 24°6′15″E / 56.95583°N 24.10417°E | |
The Pushkin Statue in Kronvalds Park in Riga, Latvia, was erected in 2009 as a gift from the city of Moscow and removed in 2023.[1][2] It was made by sculptor Alexander Tartynov.
The statue became increasingly controversial following the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. On 18 November 2022, the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Latvia posted pictures of the monument, painted with white and red paint, on social media. The State Police of Latvia started an investigation into this case. On 25 November 2022, a petition called "Demolition of the Pushkin monument" was posted on the community petition platform ManaBalss.lv. On 12 March 2023, Latvian Russian Union organized a protest in front of Riga Town Hall against the statue's proposed removal attended by around 200 people.[3][4] The statue was removed in May 2023.[1][2]
References
- 1 2 "Pushkin monument gone from Rīga park". Public Broadcasting of Latvia. 30 May 2023. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
- 1 2 "Russian poet Aleksandr Pushkin's statue removed from Kronvalds Park in Riga". Baltic News Network. 30 May 2023. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
- ↑ "Latvian Russians Union to protest against removal of Pushkin's monument in Riga". Baltic News Network. 7 March 2023. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
- ↑ Anstrate, Vita (12 March 2023). "Protest against removal of Rīga Pushkin statue". Public Broadcasting of Latvia. Retrieved 13 March 2023.