Frankfurt/Main (dpa/lhe) – On Friday, a year after the Russian attack on Ukraine and the beginning of the war, around 1000 people demonstrated in Frankfurt for an end to the war. Most of them were Ukrainians, many of them carried flags in the national colors of blue and yellow around their shoulders.
In a speech, the Frankfurt MEP Michael Gahler (CDU) supported the demonstrators and repeated his call for a special tribunal “for the war criminals from the Kremlin”. To the applause of the demonstrators, Gahler advocated arms deliveries to Ukraine and emphasized: “Ukraine is also fighting for our freedom.”
“Ukraine will win,” chanted the demonstrators on their march through downtown Frankfurt, calling Russia a “state of terror.” Again and again they shouted “Thank you Germany, thank you Frankfurt” to thank the Ukrainians who had fled in Germany.
While some appeared defiant and confident of victory, thoughtful faces and messages predominated in others. A young woman was holding the portrait of a man in uniform with a serious face. Complete silence reigned at Römer for a minute as protesters took a knee during a minute’s silence for the victims of the war.
A Ukrainian living near Biblis, who had taken in five of her grandchildren, told the sidelines of the demonstration about her 17-year-old grandson, who was only able to flee to Germany from the east of the country in November. “He lived in the basement for ten months, there were air raids every day. He’s been here for months now and he still can’t sleep and is scared.” Her little granddaughter Arina came to the demonstration with a poster she had made herself. “Run, Vanya, run” was written under the picture, which showed a man’s head under a military boot. “That’s Putin,” said the girl, who came to Germany from Charkiv last May.