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Statues topple as Europe purges communist monuments

A woman walks past the graves of Red Army soldiers at the Soviet Military Cemetery in Warsaw, Poland, Monday, Aug. 29, 2022. Even as Poland topples monuments to the Soviet military, it has a policy of not disturbing the graves of Soviet soldiers. (AP Photo/Michal Dyjuk)

A Soviet monument in Koszalin, Poland, Friday, Aug. 26, 2022. Russia's invasion of Ukraine has led to a renewed push to topple the last remaining monuments to the Soviet army that remained in Europe. At the end of the communist era, when Poland and its neighbors threw off Moscow-backed communist regimes, those countries began renaming streets and toppling statues of Lenin and other communist figures. But many memorials to the Red Army remained. (AP Photo/Michal Dyjuk)

People visit the view terrace of the Palace of Culture and Science in Warsaw, Poland, Saturday, Aug. 27, 2022. The Palace of Culture, a Stalin-era skyscraper in the center of Warsaw remains a prominent reminder of the communist era and Soviet domination. The building was a gift from dictator Josef Stalin and was long seen as a symbol of communism. When communism fell more than 30 years ago, some called for it to be torn down. But it is a part of a city's life and has since received protection status as a place of historical significance. (AP Photo/Michal Dyjuk)

FILE - Barriers are placed around The Monument to the Liberators of Soviet Latvia and Riga from the German Fascist Invaders, in Riga's Victory Park, Latvia, Aug. 22, 2022. Russia's invasion of Ukraine has led to a renewed push to topple the last remaining monuments to the Soviet army that remained in Europe. At the end of the communist era, when Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia regained their independence from the Soviet Union, those countries began renaming streets and toppling statues of Lenin and other communist figures. But many memorials to the Red Army remained. (AP Photo/Roman Koksarov, File)

FILE - People look at the ruins of the Monument to the Liberators of Soviet Latvia and Riga from the German Fascist Invaders after its demolition in Riga, Latvia, Aug. 25, 2022. Russia's invasion of Ukraine has led to a renewed push to topple the last remaining monuments to the Soviet army that remained in Europe. At the end of the communist era, when Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia regained their independence from the Soviet Union, those countries began renaming streets and toppling statues of Lenin and other communist figures. But many memorials to the Red Army remained. (AP Photo/Roman Koksarov, File)

A plinth of the Soviet monument, which has been demolished by unidentified perpetrators, in Koszalin, Poland, Friday, Aug. 26, 2022. Russia's invasion of Ukraine has led to a renewed push to topple the last remaining monuments to the Soviet army that remained in Europe. At the end of the communist era, when Poland and its neighbors threw off Moscow-backed communist regimes, those countries began renaming streets and toppling statues of Lenin and other communist figures. But many memorials to the Red Army remained. (AP Photo/Michal Dyjuk)

People sit at the Soviet Military Cemetery in Warsaw, Poland, Monday, Aug. 29, 2022. Even as Poland topples monuments to the Soviet military, it has a policy of not disturbing the graves of Soviet soldiers. (AP Photo/Michal Dyjuk)

FILE - Workers remove a Soviet T-34 tank installed as a monument in Narva, Estonia, Aug. 16, 2022. Russia's invasion of Ukraine has led to a renewed push to topple the last remaining monuments to the Soviet army that remained in Europe. At the end of the communist era, when Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia regained their independence from the Soviet Union, those countries began renaming streets and toppling statues of Lenin and other communist figures. But many memorials to the Red Army remained. (AP Photo/Sergei Stepanov, File)

A young girl plays in one of the former ball rooms in the Palace of Culture and Science in Warsaw, Poland, Saturday, Aug. 27, 2022. The Palace of Culture, a Stalin-era skyscraper in the center of Warsaw remains a prominent reminder of the communist era and Soviet domination. The building was a gift from dictator Josef Stalin and was long seen as a symbol of communism. When communism fell more than 30 years ago, some called for it to be torn down. But it is a part of a city's life and has since received protection status as a place of historical significance. (AP Photo/Michal Dyjuk)

A grave of Red Army soldier at the Soviet Military Cemetery in Warsaw, Poland, Monday, Aug. 29, 2022. Even as Poland topples monuments to the Soviet military, it has a policy of not disturbing the graves of Soviet soldiers. (AP Photo/Michal Dyjuk)

A man stands near the graves of Red Army soldiers at the Soviet Military Cemetery in Warsaw, Poland, Monday, Aug. 29, 2022. Even as Poland topples monuments to the Soviet military, it has a policy of not disturbing the graves of Soviet soldiers. (AP Photo/Michal Dyjuk)

A sculpture with the inscription 'Marx, Engels, Lenin' on the facade of the Palace of Culture and Science in Warsaw, Poland, Sunday, Aug. 28, 2022. The Palace of Culture, a Stalin-era skyscraper in the center of Warsaw remains a prominent reminder of the communist era and Soviet domination. The building was a gift from dictator Josef Stalin and was long seen as a symbol of communism. When communism fell more than 30 years ago, some called for it to be torn down. But it is a part of a city's life and has since received protection status as a place of historical significance. (AP Photo/Michal Dyjuk)

People visit the view terrace of the Palace of Culture and Science in Warsaw, Poland, Saturday, Aug. 27, 2022. The Palace of Culture, a Stalin-era skyscraper in the center of Warsaw remains a prominent reminder of the communist era and Soviet domination. The building was a gift from dictator Josef Stalin and was long seen as a symbol of communism. When communism fell more than 30 years ago, some called for it to be torn down. But it is a part of a city's life and has since received protection status as a place of historical significance. (AP Photo/Michal Dyjuk)

Sun lights up the graves of Red Army soldiers at the Soviet Military Cemetery in Warsaw, Poland, Monday, Aug. 29, 2022. Even as Poland topples monuments to the Soviet military, it has a policy of not disturbing the graves of Soviet soldiers. (AP Photo/Michal Dyjuk)

FILE - Workers remove a Soviet T-34 tank installed as a monument in Narva, Estonia, Aug. 16, 2022. Russia's invasion of Ukraine has led to a renewed push to topple the last remaining monuments to the Soviet army that remained in Europe. At the end of the communist era, when Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia regained their independence from the Soviet Union, those countries began renaming streets and toppling statues of Lenin and other communist figures. But many memorials to the Red Army remained. (AP Photo/Sergei Stepanov, File)

The Palace of Culture and Science is seen at dusk in Warsaw, Poland, Saturday, Aug. 27, 2022. The Palace of Culture, a Stalin-era skyscraper in the center of Warsaw remains a prominent reminder of the communist era and Soviet domination. The building was a gift from dictator Josef Stalin and was long seen as a symbol of communism. When communism fell more than 30 years ago, some called for it to be torn down. But it is a part of a city's life and has since received protection status as a place of historical significance. (AP Photo/Michal Dyjuk)

FILE - The Monument to the Liberators of Soviet Latvia and Riga from the German Fascist Invaders falls during its demolition in Riga, Latvia, Aug. 25, 2022. Russia's invasion of Ukraine has led to a renewed push to topple the last remaining monuments to the Soviet army that remained in Europe. At the end of the communist era, when Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia regained their independence from the Soviet Union, those countries began renaming streets and toppling statues of Lenin and other communist figures. But many memorials to the Red Army remained. (Kaspars Krafts/F64 via AP, File)

Statues topple as Europe purges communist monuments