Soviet-era monument’s iconic obelisk comes down in Latvia

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — A concrete obelisk with Soviet stars at the top that was the centerpiece of a monument commemorating the Red Army’s victory over Nazi Germany has been taken down in Latvia’s capital. The nearly 80-meter (260-foot) column had stood like a high-rise in the landscape of downtown Riga. A leading Latvian media outlet broadcast its removal live on Thursday. Onlookers cheered and applauded as the obelisk crashed into a nearby pond at Victory Park. The monument was built in 1985 while Latvia was still part of the Soviet Union. It had stirred controversy since Latvia regained independence in 1991.