After a start in front of the parliament, the Ukrainians moved to Karlsplatz. With around 8,000 participants, according to the authorities, it was one of the largest rallies of the Ukrainian diaspora in Austria since February 24, 2022.
At the start of the demonstration, the members of the National Council, Helmut Brandstätter (NEOS) and Georg Bürstmayr (Greens), underscored Austria’s solidarity with Ukraine. “We are on their side and we will remain so. Slava Ukrajini!” said Brandstätter and denounced Putin’s “incredibly perfidious work of destruction” with reference to trips to Ukraine by Austrian parliamentarians. His colleague Bürstmayr also confirmed that four out of five parliamentary parties would support Ukraine.
Ukrainian activists, meanwhile, have criticized the FPÖ, the fifth party, for its pro-Russian stance and for hosting the academic ball just on the anniversary of the Russian invasion. “It’s a ball on bones! A shame!” Said activist Andrij Karioti, referring to the date.
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He also called on all Ukrainians to take at least one Austrian by the hand so that he or she would sign the referendum in which Russia is equated with a terrorist state. A Ukrainian bard and the Ukrainian student Maryna, who had won the Austrian protest song contest a few days ago, intoned patriotic songs.
In a “march of light,” the demonstrators, most of whom were obviously refugees from last year, marched past the Museum Quarter to Karlsplatz. Militant slogans were chanted on the way, and posters not only described Russia as a state of terror, but also called for the Kremlin to be torched. Thousands of people in a peaceful flash mob in front of the Karlskirche simulated a heartbeat of the Ukrainian diaspora by waving their smartphones. At the end there was a Ukrainian “Our Father” and the obligatory singing of the Ukrainian national anthem.
