“In connection with the recent case of an attack on a woman, which has been widely discussed publicly, I have started doing evening rounds whenever possible. And no, I am not a racist!” he wrote on social media. The author of the publication also reminded that safety depends not only on the police but also on the residents themselves. “As for problems in families, I remind you: each of us is responsible for reacting to what happens in our stairwell,” he noted. The publication sparked active discussion on social media. Many users thanked the author for the initiative. “Thank you!” several commentators wrote. Others pointed out that attention should not only be paid to the city center. “What about night patrols in Bolderāja and Plavnieki? There is little police there, but many drug addicts who harass people. It’s not worth sitting in the center under cameras — we need to go where there are real problems with crime,” one user wrote. Judging by the comments, representatives of the Latvian organization of aizsargi also joined the initiative. One participant reported that he and his colleagues had also patrolled the area near the University of Latvia the day before. “Everything was calm, but we will do this more often,” he wrote. According to him, the patrol participants were in uniform, which attracted great interest from passersby. He also noted that such patrols had been agreed upon in advance with the municipal police leadership. “We agreed with the municipal police leadership that we can conduct such patrols to maintain public order. This is one of the main functions of our organization. However, we cannot just go out and do whatever comes to mind,” explained the initiative participant. “Yesterday there were only two small groups of us, but since we were in uniform, there was a lot of interest from people. There were also a few amusing incidents, but yes — we will go out on the streets more often. Yesterday, a municipal police officer got a bit nervous when we gathered near the Freedom Monument, but we explained that everything was agreed upon with the police and other responsible services. Although you can understand him: a person is calmly doing his job, and suddenly people in uniform appear,” Andžej said. Another user writes that he has started patrolling the surroundings of Teika every evening. “Yes. There is no other option. I do roughly the same. I walk my dogs for an hour in Teika in the evenings. I take pepper spray and a stun gun with me.” A separate discussion unfolded around the author’s words that he is “not a racist.” One user asked: “What’s wrong with being a racist?” To this, the man replied: “A racist is an uneducated person and a problem for those around.” When another commentator claimed that the cause of the problems is dark-skinned migrants, the author of the publication countered: “Do you think they are the only problem? We have enough ‘heroes’ ourselves. If you judge everyone by one person, then I understand your level.” In the comments, there was also an opinion that the author should not justify himself. “Latvians often start publications with the words: ‘I am not a racist,’ ‘I have nothing against Russians’... It somehow looks unconvincing,” one user wrote. In response, the author noted that he considers such a way of thinking outdated. Earlier, a widely publicized incident occurred late in the evening on June 27 in the park opposite the University of Latvia building in the center of Riga. According to the victim, two men, presumably foreign nationals of South Asian descent, approached her. One of them grabbed the woman by the arm and began to harass her, while the other attempted to expose himself. The attackers were scared off by a passerby who ran to the cries for help. The State Police initiated a criminal case regarding crimes against morality and sexual inviolability. Investigators are identifying the suspects by studying surveillance camera footage and other evidence. After this incident, the leadership of the Riga City Council stated that the municipal police would increase patrols in the city center and other public places. In my opinion, it’s not far from vigilantism...