Never Again? Nazis March on Latvia's Capital With Blessing of City Council

Konstantin Dolgov, a special representative for human rights at Russia’s Foreign Ministry, called the decision of Riga City Council to authorise a parade by former Nazi military veterans in the Latvian capital "the vicious policy of falsifying history."

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Latvia continues its course toward the falsification of history and glorification of Nazism, as indicated by Riga's decision to authorize a parade by former Nazi military veterans in the Latvian capital, a Russian human rights ombudsman said Saturday.

On Friday, a Riga City Council spokesman said the governing body had authorized the public parade on March 16.

"The Riga City Council has authorized an SS legionaries' parade on March 16. Latvian authorities continue the vicious policy of falsifying history, glorifying Nazi collaborators," Konstantin Dolgov, a special representative for human rights at Russia’s Foreign Ministry, posted to Twitter.

Дума Риги разрешила шествие легионеров СС 16 марта.Латв.власти продолжают пороч.курс на фальсифик.истории,прославление пособников нацистов.

— Konstantin Dolgov (@KKdolgov) March 5, 2016

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March 16 is Legionnaires Day in Latvia. Although it is not an official public holiday, annual parades in honor of some 150,000 Latvians who fought in combat units of the Waffen-SS, or Armed SS, took place in Riga since 1998.

The glorification of Nazi collaborators has become a cause for harsh criticism from a number of anti-fascist organizations as well as countries worldwide, including Russia.

SS was deemed criminal following the Nuremberg trials along with other Nazi organizations.