The Saeima¹ has adopted and
the President has proclaimed the following law:

Law on the Safety of Public Entertainment and Festivity Events

Chapter I
General Provisions

Section 1. Terms used in the Law

The following terms are used in the Law:

1) public event - festivity, commemorative, entertainment, sports or recreational event available to the community and planned and organised by a natural or legal person in a public place regardless of the ownership of the property;

1¹) public place - within the meaning of this Law, any site that, irrespective of its actual use or type of ownership, functions for ensuring the common needs and interests of the public and, for payment or free of charge, is available to any natural person who is not the owner, legal possessor, holder, salaried employee of the relevant site or another person whose presence in the relevant site is associated with the fulfilment of work duties, organisation of an event or is based on the work performance contract;

1²) higher risk event - within the meaning of this Law: a public event the total planned number of visitors and participants of which exceeds 5000 persons or, in case the event is organised in the borderland or the target group of the event is a group of specially protected persons, 1000 persons or the organiser of which considers it to be a higher risk event and for the organisation of which a permit is required in accordance with Section 5 of this Law. Within the meaning of this Law, a group of specially protected persons shall be children, seniors, persons of reduced mobility, and persons with special needs;

2) event organiser - a natural person of legal age for whom trusteeship has not been established, a legal person or State or local government institution which plans and organises a public event;

3) person responsible for public order and safety - a natural person of legal age for whom trusteeship has not been established and who has undertaken the responsibility for respecting the public order and safety in a public event and is at the site where it takes place from the beginning until the end of such event;

4) person responsible for technical safety - event organiser and also another natural or legal person with whom the organiser has concluded a contract for the supervision of safe operation of equipment and structures used in the event and of the overall technical safety of the event;

5) persons keeping order - the State Police or municipal police, and also a legal person to whom a licence for the performance of security guarding activities has been issued and with whom an event organiser has concluded a contract for ensuring compliance with the requirements for public order and safety, and also fire safety during the event, or persons appointed by the event organiser who ensure compliance with the requirements for public order, safety, and fire safety during a public event. In a public event organised by a natural person, the State Police or municipal police shall be the persons keeping order in accordance with a mutually concluded contract.

[17 July 2008; 20 June 2013; 18 June 2015; 16 September 2021]

Section 2. Purpose of the Law

The purpose of the Law is to ensure unimpeded and safe happening of public events.

Section 3. Application of the Law

(1) The Law sets out legal framework for the organisation and taking place of public events, the rights, obligations, and liability of an event organiser and also other persons involved in the public event in order to ensure public order and safety during such event.

(2) The Law shall not apply to:

1) events organised by religious organisations registered in accordance with the procedures laid down in the laws and regulations in churches, houses of prayer, cemeteries, cloisters or in the territory owned (possessed) by such organisations;

2) meetings, processions, and pickets governed by the law On Meetings, Processions, and Pickets;

3) funeral ceremonies.

Section 4. Organisation of Public Events on Commemoration Days

(1) State and local government institutions shall not organise public events and local governments shall not issue a permit to organise such events on commemoration days determined on 25 March, 8 May, 14 June, and 4 July.

(2) The provision of Paragraph one of this Section shall not apply to public events the type and purpose of which conforms to the nature of such commemoration days.

Section 4.¹ General Restrictions Related to the Taking Place of a Public Event

(1) The following is prohibited during a public event:

1) to turn against independence of the Republic of Latvia and its territorial integrity, to make proposals on forcible change of the state structure of Latvia, to encourage to disobey the laws;

2) to propagate violence, hate, open Nazism, fascism or communism ideology;

3) to propagate war, and also praise or call to commit criminal offences and other violations of laws;

4) to use, including in stylised form, the flags, clothing (uniforms) identifying affinity to the armed forces and the bodies (repressive authorities) for the keeping of laws and order of the former USSR, former republics of the USSR and Nazi Germany and also the elements of such clothing the combination of which (pieces of clothing, accessories, identification marks, cockades, epaulettes, gear) can be clearly visually identified as the abovementioned armed forces or repressive authorities, to use the coats of arms and national anthems, Nazi swastika, SS signs, St. George ribbons and soviet symbols, i.e. a sickle and a hammer along with a five-pointed star, except for the cases where the purpose of the use thereof is not related to the glorification of totalitarian regimes or acquittal of committed criminal offences, or they are used for educational, scientific, or artistic purposes;

4¹) to popularise and glorify the events containing the ideology of Nazi or communist regime, including the birthdays of persons representing such ideology, the days of commemoration of battles and victories, the days of glorification of occupation of free and independent territories or parts thereof, except for the cases when the purpose of such events is not related to the glorification of totalitarian regimes or justification of committed criminal offences, or they are used for educational, scientific or artistic purposes;

4²) to use the symbols used in the stylistics which identifies military aggression and war crimes, except for the cases when there is no purpose to justify or glorify such crimes;

5) to act in such a way which causes danger to the safety and health of participants of the event or other persons.

2) [4 June 2020 / See Paragraph 5 of Transitional Provisions]

[20 June 2013; 4 June 2020; 11 November 2021; 31 March 2022]

Chapter II
Application of a Public Event and Procedures for the Examination of a Submission

Section 5. Application of a Public Event

(1) In order to apply a public event and receive a permit to organise it, the event organiser shall submit a submission to a local government in the administrative territory of which the relevant event is intended to be organised not later than 15 days before the day of the planned public event in conformity with the requirements of Section 6 of this Law. If the site of the public event is in the administrative territory of several local governments, a submission shall be submitted to all relevant local governments. The local government shall electronically send a copy of the submission to the territorial structural unit of the State Police and municipal police, the State Emergency Medical Service, and State Security Service but if the public event is intended to be organised in the borderland - also to the relevant State Border Guard board.

(2) A permit is not required for the organisation of public events if they are organised by a State or local government institution, and also for organising public events indoors and organising sporting events in sports centres. The permit for the organisation of public events shall be required for the organisation of public sporting events in car racing, motor sport, and water motor sport irrespective of the site where such events take place, except when a public sporting event is organised by a State or local government institution.

(3) If a public event is organised by a State or local government institution in the administrative territory of another local government, it shall inform the local government in the administrative territory of which such event is intended to be organised of its time and place.

(3¹) If the permit for the organisation of a public event need not be acquired for the organisation of a public sporting event in accordance with the provisions of this Section, the event organiser shall inform the local government in the administrative territory of which this event is intended to be organised of its time and place.

(4) [26 March 2009]

[17 July 2008; 26 March 2009; 14 April 2016; 4 June 2020; 16 September 2021]

Section 6. Information to be Provided in a Submission and Documents to be Appended Thereto

(1) The event organiser shall provide the following information in a submission for the organisation of a public event:

1) the event organiser (for a natural person - the given name, surname, personal identity number, address of the place of residence, phone number, and electronic mail address, for a legal person - the name, registration number, legal address, phone number, and electronic mail address, and the given name, surname, and phone number of an authorised representative);

2) the person responsible for technical safety (for a natural person - the given name, surname, personal identity number, address of the place of residence, phone number, and electronic mail address, for a legal person - the name, registration number, legal address, phone number, and electronic mail address, and the given name, surname, and phone number of an authorised representative);

3) the person responsible for public order and safety (the given name, surname, personal identity number, address of the place of residence, phone number, and electronic mail address);

4) the persons keeping order (for a natural person - the given name, surname, personal identity number, address of the place of residence, phone number, and electronic mail address, for a legal person - the name, registration number, legal address, phone number, and electronic mail address);

5) the title, type, and purpose of the event;

6) place, date, starting and planned end time of the event;

7) planned number of visitors and participants to the event;

8) dangerous devices to be used in the event;

9) the support of State and local government institutions required for the event to take place safely and without disturbances;

10) the symbols referred to in Section 4.¹, Paragraph one, Clauses 4 and 4.² of this Law to be used in the event if such are intended to be used;

11) the planned road traffic limitations and the resources necessary to ensure them.

(2) The following shall be appended to the submission:

1) copies of the contracts concluded by the event organiser with the persons keeping order, persons responsible for technical safety and also public order and safety of the public event, presenting the originals;

2) detailed plan of the event;

3) a plan for the safety of a higher risk event harmonised in accordance with the procedures laid down in the law;

4) if the planned public event is a higher risk event, the confirmation of the organiser thereof that the person responsible for public order and safety has experience of at least two years in planning or implementation of physical safety measures;

5) a written consent of the owner of the site where the event will take place for organising the event if he or she is not the event organiser.

(2¹) If the planned public event provides for sports competitions, the event organiser shall, in addition to the documents referred to in Paragraph two of this Section, append to the submission the competition regulations.

(2²) If the planned public event provides for car racing, motor sport or water motor sport competitions, the event organiser shall, in addition to the documents referred to in Paragraphs two and 2.¹ of this Section, append to the submission copies of the licence for the sports competition venue (track) issued by a sports federation recognised in the respective type of sport in accordance with the procedures laid down in the Sports Law and of the licence of the main referee having an appropriate category who has been licensed in the relevant type of sports, by presenting the originals or notarised copies.

(3) If dangerous devices will be located or used at the site of the public event, the event organiser shall append to the submission the permit necessary for the possessor of dangerous devices for their use which is stipulated in the laws and regulations and copies of other documents necessary for the operation of such devices, by presenting the originals.

(4) When submitting a submission, the event organiser shall present a personal identification document, and a representative of a legal person - also documents attesting to his or her rights to represent the relevant legal person.

[14 April 2016; 4 June 2020; 16 September 2021; 31 March 2022; 7 September 2023]

Section 6.¹ Development and Harmonisation of the Plan for the Safety of a Higher Risk Event

(1) In order to obtain the permit for the organisation of a public event in accordance with Section 5 of this Law, the event organiser shall, not later than 30 working days before the day of occurrence of the planned higher risk event, inform the relevant structural unit of the State Police, the State Security Service, the State Fire and Rescue Service, but, if it is planned to organise a higher risk event in the borderland, also the territorial board of the State Border Guard of the time and place of occurrence of the higher risk event and submit the plan for the safety of the event for harmonisation.

(2) If any of the institutions referred to in Paragraph one of this Section establishes deficiencies in the plan for the safety of a higher risk event, it shall, within 10 working days from the day of receipt of the documents, inform the event organiser of the deficiencies established and, where necessary, organise the meeting for the examination of the plan for the safety of the event in which the representatives of the institutions referred to in Paragraph one of this Section take part. The event organiser shall rectify the deficiencies established and, until the day when the submission for the organisation of a public event is submitted to a local government, harmonise the plan for the safety of the event with the institutions referred to in Paragraph one of this Section.

(3) The following information shall be provided for in the plan for the safety of a higher risk event (insofar as it is applicable):

1) safety organisation for the event (the location of persons keeping order, instructions for the obligations of persons keeping order and action during the course of the event, the pass regime laid down for employees of the event, participants, visitors and vehicles, location of medical assistance point and persons ensuring its operation, the location of lost-and-found office);

2) ensuring safety of the event (the territory of the event and restricted access areas, scheme for the video surveillance system, planned equipment for ensuring safety measures);

3) procedures and schemes for communication and the notification of event employees, participants, and visitors by specifying the contact details of responsible persons;

4) action in the cases of threat;

5) escape routes and meeting points for the employees, participants, and visitors of the event;

6) the information and safety notifications to be provided to the participants and visitors of the event.

[16 September 2021]

Section 7. Examination of a Submission

(1) Upon receipt of a submission, a local government shall examine whether all the information referred to in Section 6, Paragraph one of this Law is provided therein and all the documents referred to in Section 6, Paragraph two of this Law are appended thereto.

(2) If all the information referred to in Section 6, Paragraph one of this Law is not provided in a submission or all the documents referred to in Section 6, Paragraph two of this Law are not appended thereto, a local government shall inform the event organiser thereof and determine the time period for the rectification of the deficiencies established. If the event organiser fails to provide the requested information or documents within the specified time period, a local government shall, in accordance with the procedures laid down in the Administrative Procedure Law, take the decision to refuse to issue the permit for the organisation of a public event. If the event organiser has indicated in the submission that the symbols referred to in Section 4.¹, Paragraph one, Clauses 4 and 4.² of this Law will be used during the event, a local government shall seek the opinion of the State Security Service before examining the submission.

(3) A local government shall examine the application within 10 working days from the day of receipt thereof.

(4) The event organiser, representatives of the State Police, the municipal police, the State Security Service, the State Fire and Rescue Service, and the Emergency State Medical Service, and also representatives of the State Border Guard if the event is organised in the borderland, and also representatives of other State or local government authorities and other specialists may be invited for the examination of a submission.

(5) The local government is entitled to refuse to issue the permit for the organisation of a public event if:

1) the public event organiser has provided false information on the respective public event;

2) the public event may not take place at the place or time indicated in the submission;

3) the public event organiser has been administratively punished for offences in the organisation and taking place of public entertainment and festivity events and in the field of public order, insofar as such are applicable to the course of events;

4) the organisation of the event at the specific place and time will cause significant threat to the public order and safety, human life and health;

5) the event indicated in the submission does not conform to the definition of a public event and is not to be coordinated in accordance with the procedures specified in this Law.

(6) The local government is entitled to revoke the permit for the organisation of a public event if, after issuance of the permit, the actual or legal circumstances of the case have changed, and if such circumstances would exist at the time the permit for the organisation of a public event was issued, the local government may have not issued such permit, and the remaining of the permit in effect affects substantial public interest.

(7) If the planned event is being organised in the borderland and, during examination of a submission, threats are established that during the event persons would be able to cross the State border and move objects and goods illegally, bypassing the controls necessary for the State border crossing or border crossing points, and also in the cases when reinforced border control is determined in the relevant borderland territory or in the territory of neighbouring country adjacent to the State border or the planned event is organised in the distance of less than 200 metres from any monument present in the territory of Latvia glorifying the victory and remembrance of the Soviet Army or soldiers thereof, the permit for the organisation of the event shall not be issued to the event organiser.

(8) The local government shall issue the permit for the organisation of a public event after the event organiser has submitted copies of the documents attesting to the fact of civil liability insurance thereof, presenting the originals. The event organiser shall submit copies of the documents attesting to the fact of civil liability insurance not later than two working days before the day of the planned public event. If the event organiser fails to submit copies of the documents attesting to the fact of civil liability insurance within the specified time period, the local government shall not issue the permit for the organisation of the relevant event.

(9) The event organiser may appeal the refusal of a local government to issue the permit for the organisation of a public event to the court in accordance with the procedures laid down in the Administrative Procedure Law.

[16 September 2021; 31 March 2022; 7 September 2023]

Section 8. Permit for the Organisation of a Public Event

(1) The permit for the organisation of a public event (hereinafter - the permit) is a document issued by a local government which confers the right for an event organiser to organise a one-time public event at certain place and time in the administrative territory of the relevant local government.

(2) If the site of the public event is located in the administrative territory of several local governments (Section 5, Paragraph one of this Law), the event organiser shall obtain permits from all relevant local governments.

(3) The following information shall be indicated in the permit:

1) the name and legal address of the local government which has issued the permit;

2) the information referred to in Section 6, Paragraph one, Clauses 6, 7, and 8 of this Law;

3) the public event organiser (for a natural person - the given name, surname, personal identity number, and phone number, for a legal person - the name, registration number, and phone number, and the given name, surname, and phone number of an authorised representative);

4) the person responsible for technical safety (for a natural person - the given name, surname, personal identity number, and phone number, for a legal person - the name, registration number, and phone number, and the given name, surname, and phone number of an authorised representative);

5) the person responsible for public order and safety (the given name, surname, personal identity number, and phone number).

(4) During a public event, the permit shall be kept by the person responsible for public order and safety and presented upon request of the representative of the relevant local government, police officer or official of the State Border Guard (if the event is organised in the borderland).

(5) The permit issued by a local government for the organisation of a public event may be appealed in accordance with the procedures laid down in the Administrative Procedure Law. Submission of an application to the court shall not suspend the operation of the issued permit.

[16 September 2021; 31 March 2022]

Section 9. Fee for the Permit

The permit recipient shall, in accordance with the procedures and amount laid down in the laws and regulations, pay a local government fee for organising entertainment events in public places.

Chapter III
Rights and Obligations of the Event Organiser, Person Responsible for Technical Safety, and Person Responsible for Public Order and Safety, Persons Keeping Order and Visitors and Participants of a Public Event

[4 June 2020 / The new wording of the name of the Chapter shall come into force on 1 July 2020. See Paragraph 5 of Transitional Provisions]

Section 10. Rights and Obligations of the Event Organiser

(1) The event organiser has the following rights:

1) to organise public events in conformity with the requirements laid down in laws and regulations;

2) to develop regulations applying to clothes, age of visitors and participants of a public event, items to take with, and procedures to be followed by its visitors and participants when arriving to the event and during it;

3) to take the decision to continue the temporarily suspended public event if the responsible official of the State Police, municipal police, State Security Service, State Fire and Rescue Service, or State Border Guard or the responsible official of the State Emergency Medical Service has approved that the life, health or safety of the participants and visitors of the event is not endangered.

(2) The event organiser has the following obligations:

1) to ensure that the site of a public event is limited and arranged in conformity with the requirements of public order and safety, fire safety, labour protection, and environmental protection;

2) to agree in writing on the manner in which the person responsible for public order and safety, the person responsible for technical safety, and the person keeping order will guarantee the performance of the functions laid down in the Law and other laws and regulations, and also to ascertain the competence of the abovementioned persons;

3) to ensure participation of the person responsible for public order and safety, the person responsible for technical safety, and the person keeping order in the relevant event;

4) if necessary, to provide first aid to visitors and participants of the public event and to ensure emergency medical assistance for such event in accordance with the procedures laid down by the Cabinet;

5) to inform visitors and participants of a public event regarding the regulations to be complied with when arriving to this event and during it;

6) to ensure that during this event the requirements of the laws and regulations regarding the presence of minors in a public place at night time are complied with;

7) to ensure covering of expenditures related to event organisation (for traffic organisation, delimitation of the territory and cleaning thereof after the event and other activities);

8) to enter into civil liability insurance contract in order to ensure that losses, which may be caused to third persons during the event due to actions or failure to act by the event organiser, are covered. The procedures for insuring civil liability of the event organiser as well as the minimum amount of civil liability insurance shall be laid down by the Cabinet;

9) to ensure that pyrotechnical services during the event are provided in accordance with the procedures laid down in laws and regulations;

10) to revoke or temporarily suspend the relevant event if the requirements for organising a public event laid down in this Law are not complied with or it is requested by the person responsible for technical safety or, in relation to threats to the safety of a participant or visitor of the event, by a responsible official of the State Police, municipal police, State Security Service, State Fire and Rescue Service, State Border Guard or State Emergency Medical Service;

11) to ensure compliance with this Law and other laws and regulations during organising and taking place of a public event;

12) by any available means, to ensure that the participants and visitors of the event are informed and notified of the safety requirements of the event, revocation of the event, temporary suspension or evacuation;

13) in the case of threat, to act in conformity with the plan for the safety of the event (if any) and follow the instructions of the State Police, municipal police, State Security Service, State Fire and Rescue Service, State Border Guard, or State Emergency Medical Service.

(2¹) If the only organiser of the public event is a State or local government institution, it is entitled to not comply with the requirements of Paragraph two, Clause 8 of this Section. The State and local government institution has the obligation to compensate losses which may be caused to third persons during the event due to actions or failure to act by the event organiser.

(2²) If the planned event is being organised in the borderland and threats are found that during the event persons would be able to cross the State border and move objects and goods illegally, bypassing the controls necessary for the State border crossing or border crossing points, and also in the cases when continuation of a public event causes threats to the movement, border control of persons, objects and goods crossing the State border and safety and health of the persons involved therein, or when reinforced border control is determined in the relevant borderland territory or in the territory of neighbouring country adjacent to the State border, the event organiser shall end the event, if it is requested by the official of the State Border Guard.

(3) The event organiser shall be responsible for the overall safety of the event.

[17 July 2008; 26 March 2009; 4 June 2020; 16 September 2021]

Section 11. Rights and Obligations of the Person Responsible for Public Order and Safety

(1) The person responsible for public order and safety has the following rights:

1) to request that participants and visitors of a public event respect the public order;

2) in the case of threat, involve the persons keeping order in the performance of the instructions of the State Police, State Security Service, State Fire and Rescue Service, State Border Guard, or State Emergency Medical Service.

(2) The person responsible for public order and safety has the following obligations:

1) to be at the site of a public event when it takes place and be available in order to ensure public order and safety in conformity with the competence thereof;

2) during the public event, to organise and control compliance with the requirements for public order and safety in conformity with the plan for the safety of an event;

3) to request that a participant or visitor of a public event stops illegal actions which endanger public order and safety or, depending on the actions carried out by the relevant person, to ask the person to leave the site of the event, and also to expel such person from the site of the event if he or she does not obey the request and continues to violate the requirements for public order and safety;

4) to organise control in order to ensure that items which could be unmistakably used for a violent action, psychotropic, narcotic substances, and other substances and items specified by the event organiser are not brought to the site of the relevant public event, and also to ensure that persons for whom restriction to attend sporting events has been determined in conformity with laws and regulations do not attend sporting events;

5) to inform persons keeping order and volunteers of the safety requirements laid down in the plan for the safety of the event and action in the case of threat;

6) to immediately notify the State Police or municipal police if a criminal offence has been committed or mass disorder starts, or the life, health or safety of the participants and visitors of the event is endangered during the public event, and inform the event organiser of the necessity to revoke or temporarily suspend the relevant event if the relevant violations of the law may endanger further occurrence of the event and life, health or safety of the participants and visitors of the event;

7) to supervise that devices and structures are not used and also amusements are not organised at the place and time of the public event in respect of which a written permit of a person responsible for technical safety has not been received;

8) in the case of threat, to act in conformity with the plan for the safety of the event (if any) and follow the instructions of the State Police, municipal police, State Security Service, State Fire and Rescue Service, State Border Guard, or State Emergency Medical Service;

9) to establish an operational management centre if during a public event it will not be possible for the person responsible for public order and safety to ensure transmission and receipt of the information (instructions) to be provided due to its amount;

10) if the State Police, State Security Service, State Fire and Rescue Service, or State Border Guard establishes an operational management centre, to participate in its operation and ensure the abovementioned institutions with the information requested thereby on the fulfilment of the plan for the safety of the event.

(3) A person responsible for public order and safety at a higher risk event may be only such person who has an experience of at least two years in planning and implementing physical safety measures.

[16 September 2021 / Amendment to Paragraph three of the Section in respect of the two years' experience which is required for the person responsible for public order and safety shall come into force on 1 January 2022. See Paragraph 6 of Transitional Provisions]

Section 12. Rights and Obligations of the Person Responsible for Technical Safety

(1) The person responsible for technical safety has the right to invite other specialists for the supervision of separate devices and structures upon previous written agreement with such persons. The person responsible for technical safety shall be responsible for the work done by the invited specialists.

(2) The person responsible for technical safety has the following obligations:

1) to be at the site of a public event when it takes place;

2) to ensure technical inspection of devices before a public event and, where necessary, also during it;

3) to provide a written opinion on the conformity of each device and structure to be used in a public event, and also each organised amusement with the safety requirements;

4) to ensure that devices and structures are not used, and also amusements are not organised at the place and time of a public event which do not meet the requirements laid down in laws and regulations or in respect of which a written consent by the person responsible for technical safety has not been received;

5) to supervise compliance with the operation and safety regulations of devices and structures;

6) to discontinue the use of devices and structures until elimination of deficiencies if violations of operation regulations or unacceptable defects of devices and structures are found which may endanger human life, health and safety;

7) to discontinue the use of any amusements and devices if this person considers that the relevant amusements or devices and structures may endanger human life or health;

8) to discontinue the use of devices and structures if public order is not ensured in their operational area;

9) to verify that the staff servicing devices and structures has the right to do it, and supervise that the staff is not under the influence of alcohol, psychotropic, narcotic or other intoxicating substances during the event;

10) to notify the event organiser of the violations established during the public event or discontinuation of the use of devices and structures;

11) in the case of threat, to act in conformity with the plan for the safety of the event (if any) and follow the instructions of the State Police, municipal police, State Security Service, State Fire and Rescue Service, State Border Guard, or State Emergency Medical Service.

(3) The person responsible for technical safety during a public event may only be such person who has the relevant knowledge, skills, and experience for the fulfilment of the relevant obligations.

(4) [4 June 2020 / See Paragraph 5 of Transitional Provisions]

[4 June 2020; 16 September 2021]

Section 13. Rights and Obligations of the Persons Keeping Order

(1) The persons keeping order have the following rights during a public event:

1) to prohibit participation in the relevant event for the persons who fail to comply with the requirements of this Law and regulations of the event organiser;

2) to evict persons who are under such intoxication condition which is abusive to human dignity from the relevant event;

3) to regulate the road traffic.

(2) The persons keeping order have the following obligations during a public event:

1) to be at the site where it takes place;

2) to request that visitors and participants of the relevant event respect the public order, comply with the regulations of the event organiser and safety requirements;

3) to carry a distinctive mark (for example, wrist tape, badge) in a visible place if the persons keeping order, i.e. security guard employees and persons appointed by the event organiser to keep order, are performing their duties without a uniform, but, when regulating the road traffic, wear highly visible clothing with elements of light-reflecting materials at any time of the day;

4) to organise control in order to ensure that the event is not attended by persons with weapons, explosives, explosion imitating and pyrotechnical means, inflammable and poisonous substances, and also psychotropic and narcotic substances and other items determined by the event organiser;

5) if a criminal offence has been committed or mass disorders start during a public event, to guard the place of event;

6) to control compliance with the requirements of public order, safety, and fire safety requirements;

7) to prohibit the entry of persons at the sporting event for whom prohibition to attend sporting events has been determined in conformity with laws and regulations;

8) in the case of threat, to act in conformity with the plan for the safety of the event (if any) and follow the instructions of the State Police, municipal police, State Security Service, State Fire and Rescue Service, State Border Guard, or State Emergency Medical Service, and also the instructions of the person responsible for public order and safety.

(3) [4 June 2020 / See Paragraph 5 of Transitional Provisions]

(4) While performing the functions of the persons keeping order in the public events organised by the State or local government authorities, the State Police and municipal police may involve the National Guard for support in guaranteeing the public order and safety.

[18 June 2015; 4 June 2020; 16 September 2021; 7 September 2023]

Section 14. Obligations of Visitors and Participants of a Public Event

A visitor and participant of a public event have the following obligations:

1) to comply with the restrictions laid down in Section 4.¹, Paragraph one of this Law;

2) to comply with public order and safety regulations, and also fire safety and environmental protection requirements;

3) to comply with the regulations developed by the event organiser and follow the instructions of the event organiser, the person responsible for public order and safety, the person responsible for technical safety, the persons keeping order, and also officials of the State and local government regarding public order and safety.

[4 June 2020 / The new wording of Section shall come into force on 1 July 2020. See Paragraph 5 of Transitional Provisions]

Chapter IV
Safety Regulations to be Complied with During Organising and Taking Place of a Public Event

Section 15. Use of Devices

Devices and structures shall only be used during a public event if a written consent of the person responsible for technical safety has been obtained.

Section 16. Site of a Public Event

(1) The event organiser shall select a site of a public event and arrange it in conformity with the number of visitors and participants, and also in compliance with the environmental protection and hygiene requirements, veterinary, fire safety, safety engineering, and other safety regulations.

(2) Public events shall be provided with acoustic sound systems for operative provision of information and coordination of behaviour of visitors and participants.

(3) The event organiser shall be responsible for the organisation of safety measures, including antiterrorism measures, and performance thereof during the public event.

Section 17. Cooperation with State Authorities

The State Police, State Security Service, State Fire and Rescue Service, and State Border Guard shall inform the local government which has issued the permit for the organisation of a public event of the potential threats to public order and safety or terrorism threats during the planned public event. If the permit is not necessary, the abovementioned institution shall provide the information of the potential threats to the event organiser. The information provided by the institution shall be restricted access information.

[16 September 2021]

Section 18. Action in the Event of Threat

[16 September 2021]

Section 18.¹ Restrictions Specified within the Scope of Administrative Proceedings

(1) If the course of the public event poses a clear threat to the public order or safety, human life or health, the decision to discontinue the public event may be taken in accordance with the procedures laid down in the Administrative Procedure Law.

(2) The decision referred to in Paragraph one of this Section shall enter into effect at the moment of its notification and must be enforced without delay. Contesting or appeal of the decision shall not suspend its validity.

[7 September 2023]

Chapter V
Administrative Offences in the Organisation and Taking Place of Public Entertainment and Festivity Events and Competence in the Administrative Offence Proceedings

[4 June 2020 / Chapter shall come into force on 1 July 2020. See Paragraph 5 of Transitional Provisions]

Section 19. Administrative Offences in the Organisation and Taking Place of Public Entertainment and Festivity Events

For the violation of the determined procedures for the organisation and taking place of public entertainment and festivity events, a warning or a fine of up to eighty units of fine shall be imposed on a natural person, but a fine of up to six hundred and forty units of fine - on a legal person.

[4 June 2020; 31 March 2022]

Section 20. Competence in Administrative Offence Proceedings

Administrative offence proceedings for the offences referred to in Section 19 of this Law shall be conducted by the State Police or municipal police.

[4 June 2020 / Section shall come into force from 1 July 2020. See Paragraph 5 of Transitional Provisions]

Transitional Provisions

1. Section 7, Paragraph six and Section 10, Paragraph two, Clause 8 of this Law shall come into force on 15 September 2005.

2. The Cabinet shall, by 14 September 2005, issue the regulations provided for in Section 10, Paragraph two, Clause 8 of this Law.

3. Amendment to Section 5, Paragraph two of this Law regarding its supplementation with a sentence that provides for the need to acquire the permit for the organisation of public events in order to organise public sporting events in car racing, motor sport or water motor sport irrespective of their site, except when the public sporting event is organised by a State or local government institution, and also the amendment to Section 6 of this Law regarding its supplementation with Paragraphs 2.¹ and 2.² shall come into force on 1 July 2016.

[14 April 2016]

4. The requirements of Section 6, Paragraphs 2.¹ and 2.² of this Law shall not apply to such submissions for the organisation of a public event which have been submitted to a local government before 1 July 2016.

[14 April 2016]

5. Amendments to Section 5, Paragraph one, Section 10, Paragraph two, Section 11, Paragraph one, Clause 4, and Section 18 of this Law which provide for the supplementation of the respective norm with the reference to municipal police, amendments regarding the new wording of the title of Chapter III and Sections 10, 11, 12, and 13 of this Law, and also the new wording of Section 10, Paragraph three and Section 14 of this Law, amendments regarding the deletion of Section 4.¹, Paragraph two, Section 11, Paragraph two, Section 12, Paragraph four, and Section 13, Paragraph three of this Law, and also Chapter V of this Law shall come into force concurrently with the Law on Administrative Liability.

[4 June 2020]

6. Amendments to Section 6, Paragraph two, Clause 4 and Section 11, Paragraph three of this Law in respect of two years' experience which is required for the person responsible for public order and safety shall come into force on 1 January 2022.

[16 September 2021]

The Law has been adopted by the Saeima on 16 June 2005.

President V. Vīķe-Freiberga

Rīga, 6 July 2005

¹ The Parliament of the Republic of Latvia

Translation © 2024 Valsts valodas centrs (State Language Centre)