Latvian football fans turned a quiet international friendly into a fierce political statement, hanging an effigy of MP Aleksejs Rosļikovs in protest of his pro-Kremlin and anti-Latvia rhetoric. The symbolic act, carried out on election day, exposed deep tensions within the supporter community over patriotism, protest, and the ethics of fan expression.
A political protest erupted in the stands of Skonto Stadium during Latvia’s international friendly against Azerbaijan on Saturday, as fans hoisted a hanging effigy of MP Aleksejs Rosļikovs. At one point during the match, a doll bearing Rosļikovs’ face and adorned in a t-shirt labeled “vatnik whore”, was suspended from a pole in the home supporters’ section — a direct response to the MP’s recent outburst in Parliament.
Stadium security intervened and temporarily confiscated the effigy, but it was later returned to fans, who brought it to the headquarters of Rosļikovs’ party, Stabilitātei!, and hung it from a road sign outside the building.
The demonstration took place on the same day as Latvia’s municipal elections, amplifying its political significance.
Speaking to Baltic Football News, the Ultras behind what they themselves called ‘the performance’ explained that the demonstration was a direct response to Rosļikovs’ “chauvinistic and disrespectful behavior” in the Saeima (Latvian Parliament). Referring to his speech in russian — including the shouted phrase “Nas bolshe” (“There are more of us”) and a vulgar hand gesture aimed at Latvians — the fans said they felt compelled to act. Although the doll was briefly confiscated following a clash with stadium security, the fans recovered it after the match and agreed that the most appropriate place for it would be hung beside the office of the party Stabilitātei!, which Rosļikovs represents. “The office was empty — no election party, no activity — but the message was delivered,” they concluded.
From Saeima outburst to stadium protests
The protest followed Rosļikovs’ controversial appearance in the Saeima on June 5, when during a debate on the “Declaration on the criminal russification of Latvia by the Soviet occupation regime and the prevention of its linguistic consequences”, he exclaimed, in russian: “There are more of us — you can’t ban russian language!” and made a series of obscene gesture. He was expelled from the session by a 63-vote majority and now faces possible further disciplinary action.
While speaking russian is not illegal in Latvia, the official state language, and the language of the Saeima, is Latvian.
The remarks drew sharp criticism from across the political spectrum — including from former President Valdis Zatlers, who called the incident a “national wake-up call” and urged voters to mobilize.
“It’s unacceptable — a blatant display of disrespect toward the state language and toward the people of Latvia,” Zatlers told media.
This is a wake-up call for those who had thought of skipping the elections. No — you, the people, can act. You can make sure individuals like Rosļikovs do not become the new normal.
Among those present in the stadium’s H sector was Raimonds Kaže, a Latvian football historian and avid football fan. In a detailed reflection published after the match, Kaže expressed both solidarity with the sentiment behind the protest and deep discomfort with its execution.
“Yes, Rosļikovs is a provocateur. Yes, people are angry. But the effigy — the mock hanging — that’s a line. Are we fighting extremism or mimicking it?”
Kaže noted that the visual symbolism, while cathartic for some, might inadvertently strengthen Rosļikovs’ narrative of persecution and help him consolidate his base.
“If that image circulates in the wrong context — and it will — it could even serve him politically. We may end up giving him the very attention he thrives on.”
Kaže’s discomfort deepened during the match when chants escalated in aggression. What began as traditional anti-Kremlin slogans took a darker turn.
“There was a chant calling to ‘beat the lice-ridden, the grey-blue’… and suddenly I hear someone yell to ‘beat the Jews,’” Kaže wrote. “That’s when I froze. Somewhere nearby, someone immediately shouted back, telling them not to bring antisemitism into this. But the fact that it happened at all — that it could happen — shook me deeply.”
He continued: “It made me seriously question whether this is still the fan sector I want to be part of. These are people I’ve stood with for years, but if even 10% of what’s shouted around me now reflects values I can’t stand behind, I have to ask — what am I standing for?”
I’ve always supported chants like ‘Putin – huilo,’ but this time I heard things that made me pause. If we say we’re for dignity and democracy, we can’t let our own rhetoric turn into something just as ugly.
Despite his concerns, Kaže stopped short of condemning the entire sector, acknowledging the genuine emotion behind the protest and the long-standing tradition of political expression among Latvian ultras.
Football takes a backseat?
On the pitch, the match ended in a goalless draw. Latvia gave debuts to several young players, including Kristers Penkevics, Bruno Melnis, and Gļebs Žaleiko. Žaleiko’s appearance late in the match was met with mixed reactions — stemming from a 2023 incident involving his mother, who allegedly made pro-Kremlin comments at a domestic game.
Žaleiko has since repeatedly distanced himself from the controversy and expressed support for Ukraine. Still, some fans booed his substitution.
“Yes, his call-up is questionable from a football perspective,” Kaže wrote. “But he’s 20, trying to prove himself. To boo your own national team player — that’s not the way forward.”
At the time of writing, preliminary municipal election results indicate that Rosļikovs’ party Stabilitātei! is poised to gain approximately five seats in the 60-member Riga City Council, with Rosļikovs himself likely elected.
No official comment has been made by the Latvian Football Federation or law enforcement regarding the stadium protest or the effigy displayed outside the party office. No arrests or incidents of violence were reported.
“We’ve seen what Rosļikovs stands for,” wrote Kaže. “The question now is whether we’re clear about what we stand for — and how we show it.”
The events at Skonto Stadium revealed how deeply politics and identity remain intertwined with Latvian football culture. While many fans saw the protest as a necessary act of defiance, others were left questioning its tone and limits. As Latvia navigates its political future, so too must its supporters reckon with how they choose to be heard.
Sources:
https://kazhe.lv/Pardomas-pec-futbola-speles-Latvija—Azerbaidzana-apmeklejuma
https://www.lsm.lv/raksts/zinas/latvija/05.06.2025-roslikovu-par-rupjibu-un-runasanu-krievu-valoda-izraida-no-saeimas-sedes.a601928/
https://www.lsm.lv/raksts/zinas/latvija/05.06.2025-eksprezidents-zatlers-roslikovs-paradija-kapec-japiedalas-velesanas.a602007/
