Thousands of people took to the streets of Lithuanian cities on Sunday to protest against the government's decision to hand over control of the Ministry of Culture to the populist Nemunas Dawn party.
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Protesters across the country called for the defense of culture, democracy and freedom of speech following the ruling coalition's decision to hand over the culture ministry to Dawn of Nemunas party.
The controversial party is headed by MP Remigijus Žemaitaitis, who has been accused of anti-Semitism and Holocaust denial, and is currently facing trial. Žemaitaitis has also questioned Lithuania's support for Ukraine and criticized rising defense spending in the country.
Cultural organizations, including the Cultural Protest Assembly, warn that handing over the ministry to Nemunas Dawn threatens freedom of expression, media independence and the country's core democratic values.
"We will not allow pro-Russian populists to take culture hostage," chanted demonstrators in Kaunas, Lithuania's second largest city.
Although protests took place in several Lithuanian cities, participants organized a joint moment of unity at 2pm, when cultural institutions across the country simultaneously played the symphonic poem "The Sea" by Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis. The piece was adopted as the unofficial anthem and "distress signal" of the movement.
A manifesto entitled "This could be the last time" was also read out during the demonstration, stating that "this could be the last time that culture remains our common language".
Žemaitaitis criticised the protesters, calling them "loudmouths" in a Facebook post. "People of culture came to an uncultured rally! It turns out that only loudmouths can create culture and art," he wrote. He added that "real artists continue to create art, while loudmouths and people who have nothing to do with culture just shout".
The organizers said that Sunday's protest was a warning and that they plan to take further action if the government does not back down from its decision.