March 2, 2015: Today marks 10 months since that terrible day when Odessa lost 48 of its children. Ten months ago, many residents of Odessa lost their daughters, sons, husbands, wives, grandparents, brothers and sisters. Ten months ago, neo-Nazis burned alive almost 50 people just because of their opposing views.
The participants also observed a minute of silence for the victims of the terrorist act in Kharkov. “We need to value human life, regardless of their political preferences. We do not rejoice in the deaths of those killed in the terrorist attack, as our opponents rejoiced when our friends were killed,” said one of the memorial participants.
After reading out the names of those who died in the House of Trade Unions, they held a minute of silence. Afterward, Odessites launched black balloons into the sky in their memory. Mothers of those killed quietly wept, remembering their sons.
At the end of the rally, people lit the lamps on a makeshift memorial near the House of Trade Unions.
The protesters did not see the representatives of the OSCE, usually present at all rallies, but there were a lot of police and SBU agents.
Unfortunately, it was not without incident. According to the news agency Odessa Media, two men in camouflage suddenly approached the crowd. Judging by their uniforms, they were soldiers of a territorial defense battalion. The demonstrators protested the uninvited guests and asked them to leave. Instead, the soldiers provoked a fistfight, and had to be forcibly ejected from the crowd.
After first striking a woman, the “guests” moved on to Odessa Media reporter Vladimir Pustovit. One of the soldiers asked him, “What are you doing here?” Vladimir explained that he is a journalist. The man’s reaction was not long in coming – he struck the news correspondent in the neck.
Note that all of this happened in front of the police, who were present in the square at the House of Trade Unions. However, after the incident, police protected the assailants, said Vladimir Poustovit. Police did not detain the men, but quietly escorted them away from Kulikovo Field.
Red Star News + Translations 