Over 150,000 people demanded an end to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and denounced Putin’s regime in a powerful and spirited demonstration in London on March 26.
Russians living in the capital marched under blue and white banners symbolising their flag without red – “without blood” – and appealed to the mothers of conscripts fighting in Ukraine to campaign to bring their boys home.
They joined an extraordinary range of nationalities who filled all of Park Lane and Piccadilly as they streamed to Trafalgar Square, in response to Ukrainian president Volodmyr Zelenskyy and London mayor Sadiq Khan’s call for solidarity with Ukraine. Handmade signs denounced Putin as a war criminal and terrorist. One placard demanded the Orthodox church excommunicate Putin; another an alternative to capitalist globalisation.
Women to the fore 
Chechan protestor denounces Putin as a terrorist 
Georgian people support Ukraine 
Tibet people support Ukraine 
People of Kazakhstan support Ukraine 
Freedom for Russia too 
British supporters of Ukraine’s self-determination were joined by Ukrainians, Poles, Chechens, Georgians, Belarusians, Kazakhs, Uighurs, Chinese, Hare Krishna devotees (with food), pro-Tibet campaigners – all nations occupied by Russian or Chinese forces over the last decades.
The Ukraine Solidarity Campaign’s blue, white, gold and red banner was prominent from the start as members shared a statement with the Ukrainian socialist organisation Sotsialniy Rukh.
Noticeable by their absence were the Stop The War campaign, who have been repeating Putin’s justifications for Russia’s invasion.
The Public and Commercial Services Union has condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine. It has called a march to support Ukraine on 9 April.
Photos by Corinna Lotz