More than 100,000 rally in Berlin against Russia’s war on Ukraine

More than a hundred thousand people took to the streets of central Berlin on Sunday to decry Russia’s war against Ukraine, far exceeding organizers’ hopes for 20,000 protesters to turn out.

About an hour after the start of the demonstration at 1 pm (1200 GMT), the police put the number of participants in the low six figures.

That figure was expected to rise as more anti-war demonstrators continued to pour in.

People were packed on the boulevard between the Brandenburg Gate and the Victory Column. They waved Ukrainian flags and held signs reading “Stop the war,” “Stop all trade with Putin now” and “Solidarity with Ukraine.”

Authorities said coronavirus capacity limits had been reached and so the demonstration area was expanded farther into the area around the Tiergarten park.

An alliance of trade unions, churches, environmental organizations and peace groups had called for the demonstration.