From the Liveblog of
Sunday, March 6, 2022
‘Russians, go home!’ Pro-Ukraine protests sweep Europe
Thousands of demonstrators take to the streets in cities across Europe for the second weekend running to protest against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Rallies are again organized across the continent following demonstrations on Saturday to denounce Russia’s actions and demand an end to the conflict.
In Brussels, police say around 5,000 people took part in a rally marked by a sea of Ukrainian flags and chants of “Russians, go home,” “No to war” and “Europe, be brave, act now!”
Protesters in the French city of Toulouse — which is twinned with Ukraine’s capital Kyiv — assemble behind a large yellow and blue banner, holding portraits showing a bloodstained Putin and labelling him an assassin.
Cries of “close the airspace” and “Let’s protect Ukraine’s sky” resound through the city, a reference to Kyiv’s demand that NATO establish a no-fly zone to prevent Russian aircraft contributing to Moscow’s onslaught.
Around 5,000 people also gather in the northern city of Caen by a memorial commemorating the 1944 D-Day landings, a key turning point in the battle against Nazi Germany in World War II.
In Spain, protests unfold in the capital Madrid, Barcelona and other cities across the country.
Authorities say about 800 people congregate in Barcelona’s central square with banners saying “Close the sky, not your eyes,” “NATO, protect Ukraine’s sky” and “Stop Putin, stop the war.”
Thousands of Russians defy the authorities and around 2,500 are detained for protesting against the war.
A police spokeswoman says 1,700 people were arrested in Moscow after around 2,500 took part in an “unsanctioned protest,” while 750 were detained at a smaller rally of around 1,500 people in the second-largest city, Saint Petersburg, Russian news agencies reported.
Gatherings are also reported in Britain, Germany, Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Belgrade and Montenegro.
Thousands of protesters descended on the streets of cities across the world, including in Paris, New York, Rome and Zurich, on Saturday to demand an end to the conflict.
The Times of Israel Community.