(Reuters) – BERLIN, Feb 27 (Reuters) – On Sunday, more than 100,000 people demonstrated in Berlin in solidarity with Ukraine, asking for the end of Russia’s invasion and stating that history should not be repeated.
Train and subway service was disrupted in several parts of Berlin as thousands marched to the Brandenburg Gate in downtown Berlin, near the Russian embassy.
The mob of protestors carrying posters saying “Stop the War,” “Putin’s Last War,” and “We Stand with Ukraine,” as well as Ukrainian and European Union flags, stretched from the Victory Column in the heart of the capital to the Brandenburg Gate.
The protest comes as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine enters its fourth day, prompting Germany and its Western allies to impose three sanctions packages and forcing Berlin to abandon its decades-long policy of not shipping weaponry to combat zones. more info
“Ukrainians, you’re welcome here!” exclaimed one of the speakers as the audience applauded.
More than 368,000 refugees, mostly women, and children have fled the war into neighbouring countries, according to the United Nations refugee agency, citing figures provided by national authorities.
The police had expected 20,000 people to attend the protest, but they believe that the number of individuals who attended is in the “six-digit range,” adding that more people were still pouring to the gathering.
Not just Berlin, but the entire world is enraged by Putin’s war: Hundreds of thousands of protesters took to the streets of London, Berlin, Madrid, and South Korea to express their outrage at the invasion of Ukraine.
Demonstrators have been spotted in Germany, Iraq, Japan, Australia, Spain, Lithuania, South Korea, and Turkey.
Protests have also erupted in Oxford, London, and Peterborough, as people demand an end to the war.
During protests near the Brandenburg Gate, many hoisted yellow and blue Ukrainian flags to show their support.
More people gathered in Madrid, waving flags and posters accusing Putin of genocide and comparing him to Hitler.
Ukrainians living in northern Iraq staged an anti-war protest in front of the United Nations office in Erbil.
In the Vatican on Sunday, Pope Francis condemned the ‘diabolical and perverted logic’ of starting a war in Ukraine.
