Ratnieks calls unverified X post subjects 'monkeys', urges deportation

On Tuesday evening, an unverified story about a possible assault on a woman in Riga was posted on social media platform X. The post claimed the attacker was a "Pakistani" and that he was joined by another "30 Pakistanis."

Riga Vice-Mayor Edvards Ratnieks immediately responded to the post, stating: "Thanks for the info! Passed to police! These monkeys must be deported!"

None of the details from the original post were publicly confirmed – neither the incident itself, the number of people involved, nor their origin. Ratnieks' remarks have sparked widespread debate about appropriate language for public officials and the boundaries of racism.