There was blood
On the night of 13 January 1991, Soviet forces launched a brutal assault on civilians defending the Vilnius television tower in Lithuania, using tanks and live ammunition. Fourteen people were killed, and more than a hundred were wounded.
The Baltic nations declared independence in 1990, but Soviet forces, desperate to maintain control, refused to let go. The attack in Vilnius sent shockwaves through neighbouring Latvia, where leaders, fearing similar moves by USSR loyalists to seize control over media and government, as well as a potential coup, urgently called on citizens to defend their own bid for freedom.
Between 13 and 27 January 1991, Latvians across the country built barricades around key bastions for a ‘functioning democracy’, including the interior ministry, Latvian Radio, and the television tower in Riga. Tens of thousands stood resolute against escalating violence from Soviet-backed forces and OMON, the Soviet army's special operations unit. One of the largest rallies in the movement gathered more than half a million people.
On 20 January, OMON forces and unidentified gunmen attacked the Latvian interior ministry, killing five people, including cameramen, militia officers, and a journalist, while injuring several others. This year marks 34 years since that dark day and the two-week stand for freedom, solemnly commemorated each January with bonfires, exhibitions, concerts, and events across the country.
The ”Barricades” became a defining chapter in Latvia’s peaceful fight for freedom, delivering a clear message to the Kremlin: attempts to crush Baltic freedom would not go unnoticed by the world. International media quickly covered the events, particularly the deadly violence against peaceful protesters. This disrupted Moscow’s plans for swift control, paving the way for the Baltics’ full independence in August 1991, months before the collapse of the Soviet Union in December.
Nonviolent resistance has long been central to the Baltic nations’ stand against Soviet and Russian imperialism. In 1989, 2 million people from Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania joined hands in the over 600 km long Baltic Way, turning the world's attention to the illegal Soviet occupation. This spirit of resistance remains relevant today, far beyond the Baltic borders. In late December, thousands of Georgians formed human chains across the country, protesting their government's shift toward Russia and reaffirming their desire to move away from Russia.