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More than 100 people turned out Sunday for a Stand with Ukraine rally held in Windsor at the same time thousands more joined similar shows of support held across the country.
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The local rally to protest Russia’s invasion was held on Ottawa Street near the Windsor branch of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress.
The Ukrainian Canadian Congress urged local branches like Windsor’s to hold a rally Sunday afternoon as the Soviet invasion of Ukraine continued for a fourth day.
“The situation in Ukraine keeps getting worse every day and we wanted to show our support and give people a chance to come and join in,” said Leisha Nazarewich, president of the UCC’s Windsor branch. “We have to keep this in front of the people. We do appreciate everything that Canada and other countries are doing to support Ukraine but there has to be more done.”
Local participants sang the Canadian national anthem at the start of the rally and the Ukrainian national anthem at the end.
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“I was quite uplifted when I drove up and saw the size of the crowd,” said Rev. Tom Hrywna, pastor of Sts. Vladimir and Olga Ukrainian Catholic Church. “I saw many of my parishioners there, some first-generation and some who have grandparents or even great grandparents from Ukraine and who are still proud of their Ukrainian heritage.”
Hrywna closed the formal portion of the rally with a prayer.
“Ukraine is a nation that desires and continues to desire peace,” Hrywna said in a separate interview. “Ukraine is a young democracy, just over 30 years old, that simply wants a chance to exit that Soviet shadow and look more towards Europe and some of the freedoms there.”
Irek Kusmierczyk, the Liberal Member of Parliament for Windsor-Tecumseh, spoke at the rally about his own Ukrainian heritage and about the support of the Liberal government towards the embattled country.
Photos of large gatherings in Ottawa, Hamilton and Toronto spread across social media just after 2 pm Sunday.
Organizers encouraged participants to wear blue and yellow, the colors of the Ukraine flag and to bring along flags and signs.