Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Policing political protest in Lithuania

  • Published:
Crime, Law and Social Change Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This article analyzes policing political protest in post-independent Lithuania. It argues that since the early 2000s, policing of political protest as an issue has increased in importance as Lithuania has experienced political mobilization and radicalization among groups disadvantaged by post-communist reforms. It is suggested that police responses reveal precursor tendencies towards growing authoritarianism which has become more visible in the most recent period. In 2008, the onset of deep economic crisis across the region has generated rising social unrest (including outbreaks of street riot) as a result of government adoption of severe austerity measures. The article examines the growing centralization and militarization of policing and the increasing criminalization of public protest, as well as the restriction and litigation of organized dissent by authorities. At the same time, it also points to the internal contradictions of austerity programs which lack popular legitimacy both at the level of the state and society, including more vocal and militant labor unions; increasing challenges by the courts to the drift towards a new authoritarianism; and, paradoxically, the emergence of growing labor unrest within police force itself, with the potential to undermine authoritarian tendencies in policing ‘from within.’ The wider implications of (re)turn to post-communist authoritarianism in public order policing are discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. Of course, this could also happen in cases when violent criminal groups become powerful enough to challenge and even displace state authorities, as is currently the case in Mexico where armed narco groups are waging war against federal army and police for control of regions bordering the US [87]. However, even at their peak of power (in the early 1990s) organized criminal groups in the Baltics had never had a power that even remotely compares to the current situation in Mexico.

References

  1. International Labor Organization, The. (2011). World of Work Report 2011. Geneva: International Institute for Labour Studies. http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---dgreports/---dcomm/---publ/documents/publication/wcms_166021.pdf, accessed 22 November 2011.

  2. Apps, P. (2010). Analysis: Europe faces rising austerity protests in 2011. Reuters, December 15. http://www.reuters.com/article/2010/12/15/us-europe-protests-idUSTRE6BE3FK20101215, accessed 21 April 2011.

  3. Lannin, P. (2009). Riots expose roots of anger on EU's edges. Reuters, January 19. http://uk.reuters.com/article/2009/01/19/uk-financial-europe-unrest-idUKTRE50I0A020090119, accessed 21 April 2011.

  4. Druker, J. (2009). Rioting Eastern Europe. ISN ETH Zurich, January 23. http://www.isn.ethz.ch/isn/Current-Affairs/Security-Watch-Archive/Detail/?lng=en&id=95684, accessed 21 April 2011.

  5. Barry, E. (2009). Baltic riots spread to Lithuania in the face of deteriorating economic conditions. The New York Times, January 17. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/17/world/europe/17lithuania.html, accessed 21 April 2011.

  6. Barry, E. (2009). Latvia is shaken by riots over its weak economy The New York Times, January 14. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/15/world/europe/15latvia.html, accessed 21 April 2011.

  7. Duxbury, C. (2010). Irish should look to Baltics, not Iceland. Wall Street Journal, December 10. http://blogs.wsj.com/source/2010/12/10/ireland-should-take-heart-from-the-baltics-and-not-envy-the-icelanders/, accessed 21 April 2011.

  8. Looby, J. (2011). A Latvian solution to an Irish problem? Business and Finance, February. http://www.businessandfinance.ie/bf/2011/1/marketseconomicsjan2011/alatviansolutiontoanirishprobl, accessed 21 April 2011.

  9. Samuelson, R. (2011). What we can learn from Latvia’s economic recovery. Washington Post, July 17. http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/what-we-can-learn-from-latvias-recovery/2011/07/17/gIQAelvcKI_story.html, accessed 21 April 2011.

  10. Aslund, A., & Dombrovskis, V. (2011). How Latvia came through the financial crisis. Washington, DC: Peter G. Peterson Institute for International Economics.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Forbes, S. (2010). Europe’s unsung heroes. Forbes Magazine, June 8. http://www.forbes.com/global/2010/0607/opinions-steve-forbes-lithuania-recession-fact-comment.html, accessed 21 April 2011.

  12. Economist, The. (2009). No panic, just gloom. May 14. http://www.economist.com/world/europe/displayStory.cfm?story_id=13650051, accessed 21 April 2011.

  13. Hudson, M., & Sommers, J. (2010). Latvia provides no magic solution for indebted economies. Guardian, December 20. http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/dec/20/latvia-debt-economy-europe-austerity, accessed 21 April 2011.

  14. Hudson, M., & Sommers, J. (2011). The myth of the Baltic Tigers and the death of “social Europe”. Conterpunch, January 18. http://www.counterpunch.org/hudson01182011.html, accessed 21 April 2011.

  15. Sommers, J., & Hudson, M. (2011). Latvia and the disciples of ‘internal devaluation’. The Guardian, September 16. http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2011/sep/16/latvia-anders-aslund-austerity, accessed 21 April 2011.

  16. Sommers, J. (2010). Latvia’s “Mandate” for Neoliberal Austerity Counterpunch, October 6. http://www.counterpunch.org/sommers10062010.html, accessed 21 April 2011.

  17. Bodnar, A. (2009). Shaping the freedom of assembly: Counter-productive effects of the Polish road towards illiberal democracy. In A. Sajo (Ed.), Free to protest: Constituent power and street demonstration (pp. 165–187). Ultrecht: Eleven International Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  18. Sajo, A. (Ed.). (2002). Out of and into authoritarian law. The Hague: Kluwer Law International.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Los, M. (2002). Post-communist fear of crime and the commercialization of security. Theoretical Criminology, 6(2), 165–188.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Los, M., & Zybertowicz, A. (2000). Privatizing the police-state: The case of Poland. New York: St. Martin’s Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  21. Juska, A. (2009). Privatization of state security and policing in Lithuania. Policing and Society, 19(3), 226–246.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Ceccato, V., & Lukyte, N. (2011). Safety and sustainability in a city in transition: the case of Vilnius, Lithuania. Cities, 28(1), 83–94.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Szikinger, I. (1998). Tendencies of militarization in Central and Eastern European policing. In M. Pagon (Ed.), Policing in Central and Eastern Europe: Organizational, managerial, and human resource aspects (pp. 29–38). Ljubljana: College of Police and Security Studies.

    Google Scholar 

  24. King, M., Koci, A., & Bukauskas, A. (2007). Policing social transition: public order policing change in Lithuania. Policing, 1(4), 428–437.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Sajo, A. (Ed.). (2009). Free to protest: Constituent power and street demonstration. Ultrecht: Eleven International Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  26. Szabo, M. (1996). Repertoires of contention in post-communist protest cultures: an East Central European comparative survey. Social Research, 63(4), 1155–1182.

    Google Scholar 

  27. Szabo, M. (2009). Demonstration Democracy in Hungary: Policing protest - from the catacomb of unoffical activities to rioting. In A. Sajo (Ed.), Free to protest: Constituent power and street demonstration (pp. 221–242). Ultrecht: Eleven International Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  28. Szabo, M. (1997). From a “police state to a demonstration democracy.” Policing mass demonstrations in Hungary. Budapest: Institute for Political Science of Hungarian Academy of Sciences.

    Google Scholar 

  29. Misztal, B., & Jenkins, J. C. (1995). Starting from scratch is not always the same: The politics of protest and the postcommunist transitions in Poland and Hungary. In J. C. Jenkins & B. Klandermans (Eds.), The politics of social protest: Comparative perspectives on states and social movements (pp. 159–166). Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.

    Google Scholar 

  30. Paulauskas, D. (2011). Protestas ar gedulas? Delfi.lt, January 19. http://www.delfi.lt/news/ringas/lit/dpaulauskas-protestas-ar-gedulas.d?id=41004741, accessed 21 April 2011.

  31. Vasiliauskiate, N. (2011). Apie viesas erdves, Sajudi ir Nauja Kaire. Delfi.lt, January 31. http://www.delfi.lt/news/ringas/lit/nvasiliauskaite-apie-viesas-erdves-sajudi-ir-nauja-kaire.d?id=41475635, accessed 21 April 2011.

  32. Diamond, L. J. (2008). The spirit of democracy: The struggle to build free societies throughout the world (1st ed.). New York: Times Books/Henry Holt and Company.

    Google Scholar 

  33. Woolfson, C., & Juska, A. (2012). Economic crisis, social unrest, and trade unions in Lithuania. Europe-Asia Studies (under review).

  34. Misiunas, R., & Taagepera, R. (1993). The Baltic states, years of dependence, 1940-1990 (2 dth ed.). Berkeley: University of California Press.

    Google Scholar 

  35. Gutauskas, A., Juska, A., Johnstone, P., & Pozzuto, R. (2004). Changing typology of organized crime in post-socialist Lithuania (the late 1980s–early 2000s). Global Crime, 6(2), 195–215.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  36. Guidelines of the Lithuanian Police Reform (1997). Government of the Republic of Lithuania. Resolution No. 1336. Vilnius.

  37. Sakocius, A. (2007). Police and internal security system reform in Lithuania (1990–2007). Vilnius: Ministry of the Interior of Lithuania.

    Google Scholar 

  38. Koci, A. (1998). Reform of the police in Hungary and Lithuania: empirical findings on the policing of public order. Innovation, 11(3), 307–314.

    Google Scholar 

  39. Juska, A. (2007). Discourses on rurality in post-socialist news media: the case of Lithuania’s leading daily ‘Lietuvos Rytas’. Journal of Rural Studies, 23(2), 238–253.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  40. Gadeikis, L. (2001). Subsistence farming—no way to new economy. Lithuanian Business Review, April (4), 13.

  41. Laurenas, V. (2004). Politine krize Lietuvoje 2003–2004 metais. Politologija, 35(3), 1–34.

    Google Scholar 

  42. Juska, A., & Johnstone, P. (2004). The symbiosis of politics and crime in Lithuania. Journal of Baltic Studies, XXXV(4), 346–359.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  43. ELTA. (2011). Protesto kulturos nebuvimas uzkerta kelia tikrosios demokratijos link. ATN.LT, February 10. http://politika.atn.lt/straipsnis/73487/protesto-kulturos-nebuvimas-uzkerta-kelia-tikrosios-demokratijos-link, accessed 21 April 2011.

  44. Aidukaite, J. (2009). Transformation of welfare systems in the Baltic states: Estonia, Latvia and Lithunia. In A. Cerami & P. Vanhuysse (Eds.), Post-communist welfare pathways: Theorizing social policy transformations in CEE (pp. 96–112). Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

    Google Scholar 

  45. Bohle, D., & Greskovits, B. (2007). Neoliberalism, embedded neoliberalism and neocorporatism: towards transnational capitalism in Central-Eastern Europe. West European Politics, 30(3), 443–466.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  46. World Bank. (2005). Doing business in 2006: Eastern European and Baltic nations encourage businesses with aggressive regulatory reforms. Press Release, 12 September. Washington, DC: World Bank.

    Google Scholar 

  47. Eurostat. (2009). Newsrelease, euroindicators, 121/2009, 24 August. Brussels: The Statistical Office of the European Union.

    Google Scholar 

  48. Eurostat. (2010). First estimates for the fourth quarter of 2009, euroindicators 34/2010–4 March. Brussels: The Statistical Office of the European Union.

    Google Scholar 

  49. Economist, The. (2009). Ex-communist economies. The whiff of contagion. February 26. http://www.economist.com/world/europe/displaystory.cfm?story_id=13184594, accessed 21 April 2011.

  50. Skvernelis, S., & Lancinskas, K. (2009). Protesto akcijoje dalyvavo maksimalios pareigunu pajegos. Balsas.lt, January 16. http://www.balsas.lt/naujiena/233286/protesto-akcijoje-dalyvavo-maksimalios-pareigunu-pajegos, accessed 21 April 2011.

  51. Jackevicius, M., Saukiene, I., Utyra, E., Digryte, E., & Lukaityte, E. (2009). Riausese prie Seimo 151 chuliganas sulaikytas, 34 mitingo dalyviai suzeisti. Delfi.lt, January 16. http://www.delfi.lt/news/daily/lithuania/article.php?id=20111082, accessed 21 April 2011.

  52. Telycenas, V. (2009). V.Telycenas: sausio 16-osios ivykiai nepasikartos. 15 min.lt, December 7. http://m.15min.lt/id/aktualu/lietuva/vtelycenas-sausio-16-osios-ivykiai-nepasikartos-56-74676, accessed 21 April 2011.

  53. Povilaitis, N. (2009). Riauses Vilniuje malsines generolas S.Madalovas sako, kad kitakart bus panaudoti ir tarnybiniai sunys. Lietuvos Rytas, January 27. http://www.lrytas.lt/-12329790191231617380-riau%C5%A1es-vilniuje-mal%C5%A1in%C4%99s-generolas-s-madalovas-sako-kad-kit%C4%85kart-bus-panaudoti-ir-tarnybiniai-%C5%A1unys-4-video.htm, accessed 21 April 2011.

  54. BNS. (2009). Lietuvos policija galės kviestis pagalbą iš ES ir Šengeno šalių. Alfa.lt, October 22. http://www.alfa.lt/straipsnis/10295920/?Lietuvos.policija.gales.kviestis.pagalba.is.ES.ir.Sengeno.saliu=2009-10-22_13-04, accessed 21 April 2011.

  55. Vysniauskiene, B. (2009). Kiekvienam piketuotojui - po ginkluota policininka. Lietuvos Rytas, October 22, p. 4

  56. Karaliunas, A. (2009). Trims protestuotojams teko vienas tvarkos saugotojas. Lietuvos Rytas, January 23, p. 3.

  57. Traceviciute, R. (2009). “Fronto” svogunai atsirugs biudzetui. Lietuvos Zinios, February 4, p. 2.

  58. Laucius, V. (2010). V.Telyčėnas: sausio 16-oji tikrai nepasikartos. Delfi.lt, January 11. http://www.delfi.lt/news/daily/lithuania/vtelycenas-sausio-16-oji-tikrai-nepasikartos.d?id=27673685, accessed 21 April 2011.

  59. BNS. (2009). Policija skundziasi, kad del mitingu nukencia saugumas kitose vietose. Lietuvos Rytas, December 14. http://www.lrytas.lt/-12608023341259788697-policija-skund%C5%BEiasi-kad-d%C4%97l-miting%C5%B3-nuken%C4%8Dia-saugumas-kitose-vietose.htm?id=12942077151294038970&view=6, accessed 21 April 2011.

  60. Weber, D. C. (2009). Militarization of law enforcement. DarkGovernment, September 30. http://www.darkgovernment.com/news/militarization-of-law-enforcement/#ixzz1E4Rke0a5, accessed 21 April 2011.

  61. Uildriks, N., & van Reenen, P. (2003). Policing post-communist societies. Police-public violence, democratic policing and human rights. Antwerp, Oxford and New York: Intersentia and Open Society Institute.

    Google Scholar 

  62. Vysniauskiene, B. (2009). Policija bijo agresyvejancios visuomenes. Lietuvos Zinios, November 2. http://www.vtv.lt/naujienos/lietuvoje/policija-bijo-agresyvejancios-visuomenes-15.html, accessed 21 April 2011.

  63. Kranauskas, L. (2011). Mitingu menuo (ne)patekejo Atgimimas, February 18. http://www.atgimimas.lt/Diskusija/Mitingu-menuo-ne-patekejo, accessed 21 April 2011.

  64. LR ATKP 188-7. (1994). Lietuvos Respublikos administraciniu teises pazeidimu kodeksas 188-7 straipsnis. Lietuvos Respublikos Seimas., http://www.infolex.lt/ta/103787:str188-7, accessed 21 April 2011.

  65. Gabrilaviciute, L. (2010). Prie Seimo gincijosi mitinguotojai ir policininkai. 15 min.lt, January 15. http://www.15min.lt/naujiena/aktualu/lietuva/prie-seimo-gincijosi-mitinguotojai-ir-policininkai-56-79966, accessed 21 April 2011.

  66. Samoskaite, E. (2011). Leidima mitinguoti sausio 16-aja isdave sausio 17 d. Delfi.lt, January 19. http://www.delfi.lt/news/daily/lithuania/leidima-mitinguoti-prie-seimo-sausio-16-aja-isdave-sausio-17-d.d?id=41018363, accessed 21 April 2011.

  67. ELTA. (2011). Anuliavus leidima, profsajungos ruosiasi nesankcionuotam mitingui. Delfi.lt, February 17. http://www.delfi.lt/news/daily/lithuania/anuliavus-leidima-profsajungos-ruosiasi-nesankcionuotam-mitingui.d?id=42122195, accessed 21 April 2011.

  68. Delfi. (2009). Dideliems mitingams Vilniuje – raudona sviesa. Delfi.lt, February 24. http://www.delfi.lt/news/daily/lithuania/dideliems-mitingams-vilniuje-raudona-sviesa.d?id=20712233, accessed 21 April 2011.

  69. Ignatavicius, T. (2011). I busimus mitingus - tik su bilietu? Lietuvos Rytas, February 9. http://www.lrytas.lt/-12972302331296824670-%C4%AF-b%C5%ABsimus-mitingus-tik-su-bilietu.htm, accessed 21 April 2011.

  70. Saukiene, I. (2009). Kodel miniai skanduojant “Lietuva” duzo langai? Delfi.lt, January 19. http://www.delfi.lt/news/daily/lithuania/kodel-miniai-skanduojant-lietuva-duzo-seimo-langai.d?id=20180411, accessed 21 April 2011.

  71. Zelniene, L. (2011). A.Kubilius: mitingas - ne vieta deryboms. Diena.lt, February 7. http://www.diena.lt/naujienos/ekonomika/a-kubilius-mitingas-ne-vieta-deryboms-331078, accessed 21 April 2011.

  72. Jancys, A. (2009). Angelu sargu gretos reteja. Lietuvos Rytas, March 21. http://www.policija.lt/index.php?id=5259, accessed 21 April 2011.

  73. Bareisis, A. (2009). Pries algu mazinima protestavo ir kartoninis policininkas. Alfa.lt, March 27. http://www.alfa.lt/straipsnis/10265979, accessed 21 April 2011.

  74. Bartasevicius, V. (2009). Mazes policijos algos – mazes ir saugumas. Lietuvos Rytas, March 30. http://www.lrytas.lt/-12383880461236776074-ma%C5%BE%C4%97s-policijos-algos-ma%C5%BE%C4%97s-ir-saugumas.htm, accessed 21 April 2011.

  75. Kuznecovaite, A. (2004). Pakso salininkus valde jausmai. April: Lietuvos Zinios. 07.

    Google Scholar 

  76. ELTA. (2009). Pareigunai atideda protesto akcija. Vakaru Ekspresas, April 23. http://www.ve.lt/naujienos/lietuva/lietuvos-naujienos/pareigunai-atideda-protesto-akcija/, accessed 21 April 2011.

  77. BNS. (2009). Pareigunu profesines sajungos: “R.Palaitis negali eiti vidaus reikalu ministro pareigu”. Lietuvos Rytas, July 16. http://www.lrytas.lt/-12477457251247367967-pareig%C5%ABn%C5%B3-profesin%C4%97s-s%C4%85jungos-r-palaitis-negali-eiti-vidaus-reikal%C5%B3-ministro-pareig%C5%B3.htm, accessed 21 April 2011.

  78. Policijos Departamentas. (2009). PD: kitamet planuojama atleisti 900 policininku. Delfi.lt, August 17. http://www.delfi.lt/news/daily/lithuania/article.php?id=23605932, accessed 21 April 2011.

  79. Paknys, A. (2009). Uzdarbis mazes ketvirtadaliu. Respublika, August 27, pp. 1; 2.

  80. Bakas, V. (2009). Lietuvos saugumui - bomba. Respublika, September 11, pp. 1; 3.

  81. Mikalajunas, T., & Vaitonis, S. (2009). Reporteriu zvilgsnis i Seima is riausininku minios - pro asariniu duju dumus. Lietuvos Rytas, January 17. http://www.lrytas.lt/-12321236481231106814-lrytas-lt-reporteri%C5%B3-%C5%BEvilgsnis-%C4%AF-seim%C4%85-i%C5%A1-riau%C5%A1inink%C5%B3-minios-pro-a%C5%A1arini%C5%B3-duj%C5%B3-d%C5%ABmus-video-nuotraukos.htm, accessed 21 April 2011.

  82. Szabo, M. (1993). Social protest in post-communist democracy: The taxi drivers’ demonstration in Hungary. In J. Frentzel-Zagórska (Ed.), From a one-party state to democracy: Transition in Eastern Europe (pp. 113–136). Amsterdam-Atlanta: Rodopi B.V.

    Google Scholar 

  83. Baltic Times. (2009). PM: public funds, business sector and social peace are priorities. April 15. http://www.baltictimes.com/news/articles/22716/, accessed 21 April 2011.

  84. ELTA. (2010). Apklausa: pasitikejimo nusipelno ugniagesiai, Seimas - jo nevertas. Delfi.lt, November 15. http://www.delfi.lt/news/daily/lithuania/apklausa-pasitikejimo-nusipelno-ugniagesiai-seimas---jo-nevertas.d?id=38608773, accessed 21 April 2011.

  85. Steponas, J. (2011). Pilieciai nusivilia profesinemis sajungomis? Profsajungu Naujienos, January 10. http://www.lprofsajungos.lt/?lang=lt&mID=1&id=3733, accessed 21 April 2011.

  86. Gill, S. (2004). New constitutionalism, democratization and global political economy. In R. Wilkinson (Ed.), The global governance reader (pp. 176–186). London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  87. Grillo, I. (2011). El Narco. Inside Mexico’s criminal insurgency. New York: Bloomsbury Press.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Sociology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, 27858, USA

    Arunas Juska

  2. Linköping University, Institute for Research on Migration, Ethnicity and Society, Lingköping, Sweden

    Charles Woolfson

Authors
  1. Arunas Juska
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Charles Woolfson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Arunas Juska.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Juska, A., Woolfson, C. Policing political protest in Lithuania. Crime Law Soc Change 57, 403–424 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10611-012-9363-4

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10611-012-9363-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation