Years ago I remember reading how Latvia was at risk because a quarter of their population is Russian; the obelisk should have been removed decades ago for that very reason.
It has been very hard to play this game of life as Latvia in recent decades. Like playing basketball with just one arm. You have to do everything else very well.
Decades ago this removal would have been met with a huge propaganda assault from Russia (still is) and the “well-meaning liberal useful idiots” in the west would have gone along with that.