Political flash mob in Riga (videoblog)

The first political flash mob action took place in Riga, January 30 in front of the parliament (Saeima). The protestors, mainly employees and listeners of Latvia's public service radio (Latvijas Radio), stood silently with their mouths taped shut, protesting budget cuts and serious financial irregularities that have already "silenced" a significant part of the radio's programming. The radio, despite oversight by its own board of diretors and the National Radio and Television Council managed to run up accounts payable of nearly 800 000 LVL. The disclosure resulted in the sudden resignation of the director of Latvija Radio.

From a free speech viewpoint, the flash mob passed without incident. A few municipal policemen, dressed in ordinary street uniforms (no riot gear) patrolled near the event, which gathered at most some 100 people, including more than a dozen journalists and television crew members.

This is how it looked:

Flashmob at parliament to support Latvian Radio

Employees of Latvia's public service radio (Latvijas Radio) have called for a flash-mob to gather near the parliament (Saeima) building for five minutes on Friday, January 30 to stand in complete silence to protest the "silencing" of the national radio service through budget cuts and a large deficit apparently cause by negligence by persons and authorities responsible for the oversight of its operations.

This will be one of the first political flash mobs in Latvia, and it has been announced in advance by "non-flash" (on the internet, in social networks) means ("classic" flash mobs are often gathered by SMS on short notice). Earlier flash mobs (several hundred people stopping all movement near Riga's Central Station) have been artistic "happenings".

Because of the publicity and advance warning, as well as the nervousness of the authorities following the rioting on January and stoning of the Saiema building, there is some danger that police could try to prevent or disperse the flash mob.