Alton Rally in support of Ukraine

ALTON — A group of concerned citizens gathered at the Alton Circle on Sunday, March 13, for a solidarity rally in support of the Ukrainian people. The visibility was in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which began on February 24, 2022, “a (Ukrainian) day that will live in infamy" (quoting FDR). On that date, over a hundred thousand Russian and Belarusian armed forces invaded the integrity of the Ukrainian cities and countryside. Wes Flierl, a Vietnam veteran and one of the organizers, described war as “so much destruction of not just the physical environment but of people and their lives as they know it.”

On this chilly Sunday, over a dozen hardy patriots wore blue and yellow lapel pins and held signs condemning the unethical invasion of a sovereign Ukraine. Response from passing motorists was overwhelmingly positive, as a sonorous beeping of horns supported the Ukrainian resistance. Some motorists even stopped to inquire about how to make humanitarian donations in support of the Ukrainians.

In addition to Wes Flierl of Veterans for Peace, who designed the lapel pins, other organizers of the rally included Ruth Larson of Alton, and Jane Westlake of Barnstead, who designed the signs. To all the participants as well as the other supporters, Dyakuyu! (Ukrainian for thank you).