Rallies and marches in solidarity with the pro-democracy, anti-fascist resistance of the people of Odessa were held in countries around the world on May 2, 2015. Below is a report on the rally in London UK. In Canada, rallies took place in six cities–Montreal, Toronto (pictured below), Ottawa, Winnipeg, Calgary and Vancouver. Reports on the rallies in Canada will be forthcoming on this website. In the meantime:
Dozens Demand Investigation of Odessa Massacre at London Rally
More than 60 people have taken part in an event near the Ukrainian embassy in London commemorating victims of the 2014 Odessa massacre and demanding a thorough investigation of the murders, a RIA Novosti correspondent reports.
Participants to the rally commemorated those who had lost their lives with a minute of silence, then set off black balloons. Many laid flowers in front of the building. Several attendees carried banners saying “No to Fascism”.
On May 2, 2014, pro-Kyiv radicals, including with the Right Sector fascist organization, blocked a group of anti-government protesters inside Odessa’s House of Trade Unions and set the building on fire, using Molotov cocktails. At least 48 people died, including several who jumped to their deaths in an attempt to escape. Over 200 were injured as a result of the fire.
The organizers of the event in London passed on an appeal to the Ukrainian diplomats inside.
“In the appeal, there is a request for an investigation which has not been conducted yet, and to punish the perpetrators,” one of the organizers, Irina Bomatova, told RIA Novosti. Nationals of Russia, the United Kingdom, Ukraine, as well as an anti-fascist organization from Spain, took part in the commemoration event.
Event organizers accused Kyiv of covering up the actual death, claiming that at least 116 had been killed. Moscow has repeatedly urged Kiev to conduct a prompt and transparent investigation into the Odessa tragedy since the day of the deadly fire.
One year after the tragedy, Kiev authorities have not completed the investigation of the case and perpetrators have not been brought to justice.
View:
* Faces of the Odessa Massacre: The victims and the stories of how they came to lose their lives, photo gallery on Fort Russ website
* Remember Odessa! Save the Donbas people! Brief video of march in Toronto on May 2, 2015:
