UNITY and solidarity took centre stage during a peace protest in Durham earlier today (March 6) that saw activists and members of the public call for an immediate Russian ceasefire in Ukraine.
Hundreds gathered in the city’s Market Place at midday to hear speeches, poems and songs dedicated to Ukraine and finding a peaceful solution for those still stuck in the Eastern Europe country and those that have been forced to flee their homes.
Organised by Durham Stop the War, the event was used as a demonstration in favour of a diplomatic solution over the Ukraine crisis, before more lives are lost by further attacks.
Read more: Ukraine: Durham chess clubs call for boycott of Russian teams
One of the organisers for the event, Ellena Plumb-Javed, who is from Peace Action Durham, highlighted the need to carry out ‘anti-war’ messages in County Durham and the wider North East, and was encouraged by the amount of people that turned out for the event.
She said: “Today, we stand in solidarity with everyone in Ukraine. The number of people here shows that everyone disagrees with what they’re seeing on TV, the awful atrocities carried out in Ukraine and people want to do something about it.
“While conflicts have been going on and we’ve protested against a lot of recent conflicts, people maybe think it’s closer to home and that explains the increase in public presence.”
Heather Speight, representing Peace Action Durham, who also attended the protest, urged world leaders for a more “peaceful approach”, as well as urging people in the region to say ‘no’ to war and the illegal occupation by Putin and ‘no’ to NATO expansion.
She said: "We believe passionately that war is not the answer to the world's problems. At this perilous time, in this nuclear age, working for a more peaceful world is a survival necessity, not least because conflict is a highly significant contributor to global warming.
"This event helped to bring together people from many different backgrounds.
It's vital for people to accept their differences, to stand united with each other in mutual support, and solidarity with the people of Ukraine, and by extension, the brave peace activists in Russia and all those caught up in the horrors of war everywhere."
Today's peace protest for Ukraine in pictures:
Pictures: SARAH CALDECOTT.
During the peaceful demonstration, there was also a speech from former North West Durham MP Laura Pidcock, who gave mention to refugees, stopping the war and solidarity in her speaking opportunity.
Talking to those present, the former MP said: “We don’t want any human being to experience war – that’s why it’s vitally important we are resolute in our call for a safe passage to the UK for refugee. Our solidarity is with the people of the Ukraine.
“We are opposed to all war, and we believe the dropping of bombs on innocent people leads to nothing. We urge those in power to come to peaceful negotiations through dialogue, not destruction. We want to make the point that more military power doesn’t make us any safer, it does not take us closer to peace at all.
More photos from today's event:
Pictures: SARAH CALDECOTT.
“We want an end to war, a solution where people don't have to live in fear of the threat of war, and we want justice to those across the world.”
The event in Durham’s Market Place follows on from a rally held by Ukrainian students at Durham University last Monday (February 28), as well as countless other protests across the UK, that were either taking place today or were staged yesterday.
This included a rally in Newcastle city centre yesterday (March 5) that saw several Ukrainians speak passionately about ending war in their home country and other speakers challenge the government to impose harsher sanctions on Russia.
Here's some photos from the Newcastle protest:
Pictures: NORTH NEWS.
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