Outrage over dog walk at Riga's Brothers' Cemetery as city urges residents to call police

On Sunday morning, 25 October, social media user Nikita Klimentjev posted a video on X from Riga's Brothers' Cemetery, showing a person walking a dog near the Mother Latvia monument. The Brothers' Cemetery is a major memorial site in the Latvian capital, and the post sparked a debate over whether walking a pet there is acceptable.

Klimentjev called the dog's owner a scoundrel in his post and argued that some people treat the cemetery as a place to let their dog relieve itself. He tagged the State Police, Riga City Council and the Riga municipal police.

Commenters divided

Reactions were split. Some users said the matter should not be turned into a tragedy and pointed out that the video does not show the dog relieving itself. Another user cited the situation in England, where walking among cemetery monuments is acceptable but owners do not let dogs relieve themselves there. One more commenter called for tougher penalties, saying police in civilised countries would impose a four-digit fine for such behaviour.

City council and rules

Riga City Council responded to the post by urging people to report such cases immediately to the Riga municipal police by calling 110 or via the mobile app.

In the discussion, Elīna Treija explained that dogs on a leash are allowed in Riga's gardens, parks and cemeteries, but a special regulation applies at the Brothers' Cemetery. She said signs at the entrance gates indicate this.