Video: Over a thousand gather in Amsterdam calling for peace in Ukraine
At least a thousand participants arrived on Dam Square in Amsterdam at the conclusion of a protest march on the one year anniversary of the Russian invasion and war in Ukraine. The march started Friday afternoon on Museumplein, where Russia has a trade representation office, "to protest against Russian aggression, war crimes and occupation," the organizers said. Most of the participants were Ukrainian women; there were also some children with Ukrainian flags on their faces.
Across the country, people reflected on the war on Friday. Thousands of Ukrainians were in the Jaarbeurs in Utrecht for a commemoration, where President Volodimir Zelenskyy of Ukraine and Prime Minister Mark Rutte addressed the Ukrainians via video messages.
People prayed for peace in several churches and in the evening church bells sound in more than fifty cities in the Netherlands.
Many in Amsterdam participants also made hats in the yellow and blue colors of the Ukrainian flag. There were also signs saying, "Thank you Netherlands". The organizers of the march also said this to the crowd.
According to Amsterdam deputy mayor Rutger Groot Wassink, Russian President Vladimir Putin is "a criminal leader" responsible for "a year of bloodshed". Groot Wassink also reflected on the fierce fighting at Mariupol and the fighting in the trenches, which were reminiscent of World War I, he said. He also promised the people on Dam Square "that the City of Amsterdam will continue its unwavering support for the people of Ukraine."
Dam Square in Amsterdam colours blue and yellow for Ukraine today πΊπ¦πΊπ¦πΊπ¦ pic.twitter.com/tLDnAFwSom
β Thomas van Linge (@ThomasVLinge) February 24, 2023
The demonstration was organized by several groups, including the Ukrainians in the Netherlands Foundation, Amnesty International and peace organization Pax. Laurens Dassen, the Volt party leader, Member of Parliament Suzanne KrΓΆger (GroenLinks), Christine Teunissen (PvdD) and Kati Piri (PvdA) also spoke at Dam Square.
At the start of the march, a meter-long Ukrainian flag was unfurled. This also happened during the march in the Eline Vere Park in The Hague. Participants of the Amsterdam march also had signs with texts such as "Ukraine will Triumph" and "Russia is a Terrorist State". Another participant carried a dove of peace on a stick.
Dam Square right now. Amsterdam stands with Ukraine, Netherlands stand with Ukraine, Europe stands with Ukraine, the world is with Ukraine π#SlavaUkraini #StandWithUkraine #StandForFreedom πΊπ¦πΊπ¦πΊπ¦ pic.twitter.com/vy3cN8Q5nH
β Andrew Chakhoyan πΊπ¦ (@ChakhoyanAndrew) February 24, 2023
Reporting by ANP