Approximately 5,000 residents gathered outside the Saeima on Wednesday evening to protest Latvia's withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention, and this was one of the largest protests by residents in recent years, the State Police confirmed to LETA.

Those gathered with posters called for"stop covering up the perpetrators" and not to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention.

Those gathered held Latvian and European Union flags. LGBT+ community flags also flew near the Saeima.

The picket participants, who were mostly younger, pointed out that"the opinion of the populists is not the truth of the people." The picket participants also brought their children and pets with them.

Protesters beat drums, chanted slogans and whistled, calling on politicians to reconsider. Protesters also asked whether this move was in support of Russia.

The protesters shouted, for example,"Lobbying Russia, we are not defending Latvia," "Convention - yes, obscurantism - no," "The bill is evil, what a shame," "Today's decisions, tomorrow's bruises." Those gathered also used phone flashlights and other lighting tools.

In between chanting slogans, the protesters also used wind instruments and other noise-making devices, as well as sang.

A large number of law enforcement officers were monitoring the situation. There was also a larger than usual number of law enforcement officers in Old Riga.