The ‘Barricades’ of Latvia
Witness History
BBC
4.5 • 1.6K Ratings
🗓️ 18 July 2023
⏱️ 10 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
In January 1991, more than half a million people protested in Riga, the capital city of Latvia. They wanted to stop Soviet troops taking over important landmarks, so they built barricades and camped out on the streets.
Vents Krauklis was among the demonstrators. He’s been speaking to Laura Jones.
(Photo: People filling the streets of Riga during the Barricades. Credit: 1991 Barricades Museum, Riga/Ilgvars Gradovskis)
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | Whether you call it football or soccer in your part of the world, |
| 0:02.9 | Match of the Day Africa Top 10 is the podcast from the BBC World Service |
| 0:06.7 | ranking the best African players. |
| 0:08.4 | This guy is recognised as the best in the world, teams. |
| 0:10.8 | The world will come in turn, boom! |
| 0:12.6 | And the biggest moments in African football. |
| 0:14.4 | The whole world, remember that? |
| 0:15.8 | I remember that yet. |
| 0:16.6 | It's not just African and found. |
| 0:18.0 | Match of the Day Africa Top 10, find it wherever you get your BBC podcasts. |
| 0:23.4 | Music |
| 0:28.4 | Thanks for downloading the Witness History podcast from the BBC World Service |
| 0:33.0 | with me, Laura Jones. |
| 0:40.6 | We're going back to January 1991, |
| 0:43.2 | to Riga in the north-eastern European country of Latvia. |
| 0:47.0 | Vince Croutcliffe was among more than half a million people |
| 0:50.4 | who built barriers around the capital city's landmarks |
| 0:53.4 | to protect them from Soviet soldiers. |
| 0:56.0 | The demonstration became known as the Barricades |
| 0:59.0 | and it was part of the Singing Revolution. |
| 1:01.6 | For us, it was a breaking point, |
| 1:04.8 | show to Moscow and show to all world |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from BBC, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of BBC and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.