DEMONSTRATORS plan to form a human chain in Edinburgh’s city centre this weekend as part of a global day of action opposing the war in Ukraine.
March 6 will mark an international day of solidarity with Ukraine and be marked by events around the world, organised by anti-war groups including the Stop the War Coalition, Code Pink, the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament and the No to NATO Network.
The Edinburgh branch of the Stop the War Coalition have unveiled their plans to form a human chain along both sides of the capital’s famous Princes Street, which they expect to assemble by 3.30pm and to maintain until 4pm.
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In a statement announcing the demonstration, the group said: “Edinburgh Stop the War stands in solidarity with the people of Ukraine and the growing anti-war movement in Russia. Russian troops must withdraw.
“We demand that the British Government opens the border and allows safe passage to refugees. We are opposed to the NATO military alliance with its first strike nuclear policy. We want Britain out of NATO. A secure future for Ukraine and for us all is not possible in a militarised Europe.”
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In a separate statement announcing the international day of protest, the Stop the War Coalition wrote: “There have already been many anti-war demonstrations in Russia and many other countries. What we need now is a massive, unified response by peace-loving people around the world to say: ‘No to War in Ukraine; Yes to Negotiations and Peace’.”
The global day of action was decided upon following an international online anti-war meeting on February 26, during which former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn warned that anti-war activists will be vilified, and recalling how similar protestors were characterised as “stooges” during the Iraq war.
Other demonstrations on Sunday are so far set to take place across the UK, the United States, Canada, Germany, Italy and Japan.
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