The Latvian capital of Riga prepares for a march on Friday to commemorate Latvian troops who fought on the German side in World War II.
The controversial march was earlier banned by the municipal authorities, but on Thursday a court in Riga ruled to overturn the ban and gave the green light for Waffen-SS veterans and their supporters to take part in the demonstration.
March 16 is Legionnaires' Day in Latvia. Though not an official public holiday, parades in honor of the 140,000 men who fought in the Latvian Legion, combat units of the Waffen-SS, are held annually in Latvia’s capital.
Latvian President Andris Berzins said earlier that it was ‘thoughtless’ to consider former SS legionaries as criminals and instead called to pay respect to them.
Besides the veterans and their supporters, the march will also be attended by members of the parliament from the Visu Latvijai (All for Latvia) political party.
Last year, about 1,000 people, veterans from the Latvian Legion and their supporters, paraded a short distance through Riga.
Traditionally, the parade triggers an outcry from anti-Fascist activists and organizations.
