Report
War in Ukraine: new protests for peace across Europe
Audio 01:07
Pro-Ukraine demonstrators in Rome.
March 5, 2022. REUTERS - REMO CASILLI
Text by: RFI Follow
4 mins
From Paris to London, Rome or Zürich, thousands of demonstrators once again took to the streets of major European cities on Saturday March 5 to say “stop” to the war and protest against the invasion of Ukraine by Russia.
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Last weekend, hundreds of thousands of people in the blue and yellow colors of Ukraine had already marched in Europe, from Prague to Berlin via Madrid and Vilnius, to denounce the Russian invasion and express their fear of an extension of the conflict.
On the tenth day of the offensive, Russian forces advanced across the country on Saturday, with fierce fighting around the capital Kiev.
In
Zurich
, the most populous city in Switzerland, several tens of thousands of people demonstrated under the slogan “
Peace now
”, notably at the call of trade unions and left-wing parties.
They were, according to the organizers, more than 40,000 people.
The police did not give numbers.
The demonstrators, who carried "
Stop War
" or "
Peace
" signs and Ukrainian flags, demanded an immediate ceasefire, diplomatic negotiations and the withdrawal of Russian troops, according to Swiss public television SRF.
“
There are no just wars
”
In
Rome
, a vast “
peace procession
” brought together thousands of people at the call of several unions and many NGOs.
"
No base, no soldier, Italy outside NATO
", chanted the pacifists in this procession preceded by a large flag in the colors of the rainbow.
Many placards also proclaimed “
No to Putin, no to NATO
”.
In Trafalgar Square in London, March 5, 2022. REUTERS - PETER NICHOLLS
“
This is perhaps one of the first real demonstrations for peace.
Here nobody believes that we make peace with arms, that we make it by sending arms to one of the parties
,” Ukraine, famous Italian cartoonist, actor and writer Vauro told AFP. Senesi.
Italy decided to send weapons to Ukraine, but did not reveal the details of these military supplies.
"
There are no just wars or smart bombs
", launched for his part the boss of the most important Italian trade union confederation, the CGIL (left), Maurizio Landini.
"
It's an attack on democracy
"
In
Paris
, several thousand people gathered at the iconic Place de la République.
“
We will be there every weekend, in Paris or elsewhere, until Mr. Putin leaves, withdraws his
tanks
,” Aline Le Bail-Kremer, a member of Stand With Ukraine, told AFP. at the initiative of the gathering in the French capital.
"
It's very important to be here
," said a protester, Bernard Arnaud, 47, blue suit and yellow shirt in Ukrainian colors.
“
Mr. Putin is so unpredictable.
I will come back as much as
possible
”, he added in the middle of the signs “
Stop War
”, “
Putin assassin
” or “
Save Ukraine
”.
All gestures of solidarity, all mobilizations are essential
French politicians at the demonstration in support of Ukraine
In
Lyon
, a few hundred people gathered in Place Bellecour to express their support for President Volodymyr Zelensky and his population, subjected in several towns to bombardments by the Moscow army.
“
It is an attack on democracy, on freedom.
We see that there is no ceasefire, the negotiations are not progressing so I am quite pessimistic
, ”said Sébastien Mourrain, 45.
Not far from him, Marie-Line, 64, worried about a situation that “
can change so quickly
”.
"
I thought diplomacy would solve things, but after what happened at the nuclear plant, it's starting to really scare me
."
🇨🇵🇺🇦 - The procession is very impressive in #Paris in solidarity with #Ukraine.
🎥 @ClementLanot#UkraineRussianWar #StandWithUkraine️ pic.twitter.com/3JM1VremT9
— Hugo & Quentin (@InfoHugoQuentin) March 5, 2022
“
We are all Ukrainians”
In
London
, a crowd of several hundred gathered in Trafalgar Square, holding up placards with inscriptions like "
Putin kills
" and
"Total embargo against Russia
", and shouting "
Stop Putin, stop the war!"
".
“
When the last Ukrainian soldier falls, Putin will come for you, ladies and gentlemen
,” proclaimed a giant banner.
The Apostolic Nuncio to Britain, Archbishop Claudio Gugerotti, read a prayer, saying in part: “
Today we are all Ukrainians.
»
For Paul, a 35-year-old software designer, it is "
frightening
" to see history repeat itself, we must "
do more
" on a humanitarian level and against "
propaganda
" from Russia.
In
Zagreb
, more than a thousand people gathered in support of Ukraine, holding placards reading "
Stop the war, Save Europe
", and "
Glory to Ukraine
".
Many demonstrators had wrapped themselves in the Ukrainian flag.
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