Tallinn marks one year since disorder

26 Apr, 2008 11:29 / Updated 16 years ago

A year ago the Estonian government removed a Soviet WW2 monument from the centre of its capital Tallinn. The relocation of the Bronze Soldier sparked rioting that led to the death of one man.

The so-called Bronze Soldier, the Soviet World War II memorial in Estonia, was a controversial monument, representing victory over the Nazis for some, and a symbol of Soviet occupation for others. No one guessed the move would provoke days of riots, looting and a death. Twenty-year-old Russian citizen Dmitry Ganin was stabbed to death. A year later no one has answered to the crime of taking his life. Activists held a picket on Saturday in the capital Tallinn, demanding an international inquiry into last year's events. The protesters blamed the Estonian government for the riots. Saturday's event was peaceful, however, there's still concern over the rights of ethnic Russians living in the Baltic state.