Shortly before 18:00, while surveying the Freedom Square, employees of the Riga municipal police noticed that the obelisk of the Freedom Monument's tactile model had been torn off.
The information was immediately relayed to CCTV staff, who identified the three-person group as part of a review of camera footage. Within minutes the perpetrators were detained. Footage appeared to show the model being prised apart with use of a crowbar. Remarkably, a lone woman appears to intervene and get the perpetrator to hand back his prize.
Among the detainees were a 33-year-old man as well as 19 and 20-year-olds, who denied their guilt.
The detainees were taken to the State Police station for the commencement of criminal proceedings.
