Rally for the People of Ukraine: Gallery II
About 200 people were drawn to Westport's Rally to support the people of Ukraine, which began on the Ruth Steinkraus Cohen Memorial Bridge Saturday morning and then moved to Jesup Green. There, speakers - including Senator Richard Blumenthal, Congressman Jim Himes, and several Ukrainians - spoke passionately to the crowd.
A Note from the Photographer-
I have never spoken about the thousands of photos I have published in various media outlets over many years, hoping that my photos will clearly tell the story of the events I cover. This is different. I covered four rallies to support the people of the Ukraine in Fairfield County this week. I have been struck by several things. Not since the 9.11 attacks on our country has there been more sadness and also anger so clearly evident in a large gathering. When I arrived a woman emerged from the car which has just pulled in behind me and we spoke briefly about her family in Kiev. She is Kateryna McLeod and she is my lead photo holding the sign with photos of her family in Ukraine. When the rally ended we arrived at our cars again at the same time and she was on the phone to her family in Kiev who were safe. At least they were yesterday.
You cannot help but feel the anguish and sometimes despair of the people you see and listen to and you cannot help feeling affected. I learned a bit in speaking with Ukrainian-Americans, such as the colors of their flag which most of the world will now recognize anywhere they see it, stand for Sky (blue) and Wheat (yellow) as the Ukraine is known as the bread basket of Eastern Europe. After a Ukrainian would finish speaking to a rally crowd someone would shout out "SLAVA UKRAINI" (Glory To Ukraine). Many in the crowd would shout loudly in unison "GERIYAM SLAVA" (Glory To Heroes). You see pain in may of those faces however you also see the grim determination, fierce pride in their heritage and the love and devotion for their country. We see it in the media with video of a Ukrainian woman offering to give sunflower seeds to a Russian soldier telling him to "put them in his pocket so that flowers will grow when you die here".
On Snake Island a Russian Warship radioed the Ukrainians:
RUSSIANS: "Snake Island, I am a Russian warship. I suggest you lay down your arms and surrender. Otherwise you will be hit. Do you copy?"
UKRAINIANS: (to each other) "Well, this is it. Should I tell him to go f--- himself" Another says "Just in case"
UKRAINIANS: "Russian warship, go f--- yourself"
(Youtube link to radio transmission posted by The Guardian): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Y2iVHUMZhg
It was reported that the end of the radio transmission may have indicated that all 13 Ukrainian marines and border guards were killed, however new reports (Fox 10 Phoenix) quoting the Ukrainian Navy says that all are alive and well; "Regarding the Marines and border guards, who were taken captive by Russian occupiers on the island of Snake. We are very happy to learn that our brothers are alive and well," the post, which was published on Monday read in part.
A woman from Ukraine proudly repeated that message on her sign. Near the end of my third rally yesterday I said to a Ukrainian man, one of several who were holding a giant Ukrainian flag which they brought to Darien after they held it at the rally in Southport, I said, "From what I have seen of many people of the Ukraine I think Putin may have bitten off more that he can chew. “
Slava Ukraini! Geroyam Slava!
Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
