Washington DC— Activists showed support for Ukrainian resistence fighters by projecting a light show on the Russian Embassy on Wednesday night. The lights were to demonstrate support for Ukrainian resistence fighters, despite the activists’ stand against war. They were also designed to embarrass the few Russian diplomats left in the U.S.
Activists used a high-power projector with a metal plate copied from a button design depicting a Ukrainian woman holding flowers while facing an onslaught of a certain violent end. The Ukrainian resistence has stood against overwhelming odds the last 20 days and captivated worldwide attention, while inspiring the support of nearly every nation.
Bill Moyer, Executive Director of Backbone Campaign, said that the projection onto the Russian Embassy was “to escalate peace and show solidarity with the people of Ukraine.” He also called for a ceasefire and withdrawal of all Russian forces. “We stand with the Ukrainian people who, like all people of the world, hunger only for peace and dignity,” he said.
Phil Atito, the light projectionist said he stood with solidarity for Ukrainian freedom fighters, and worried parties were moving towards nuclear war. He faulted NATO for its decades’ long ambitions that contributed to a war-footing situation. “We are not condoning Russia in any way,” he said, ”but the part of the puzzle that isn’t being talked about is NATO escalating the situation for the last [few decades].”
The projected image of a woman holding a sunflower was created by artist Heidi Phelps as a free non-commercial download to give the public a chance to show support for the Ukrainian resistence. The poster was inspired by Ukrainian vyshyvanka traditional folk dress, and Ukraine’s national flower, the sunflower, according to Phelps’ website.
Phelps said she created the image to stand with the Ukrainian people and stand against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. “I made this poster available for free download on my website to make it easier for people to print and use as protest posters to get out on the streets and make themselves heard. By projecting this image, I’ll be creating a series of photos to use in a digital campaign to help raise funds for military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine, and provide a list of resources where people all over the world can provide concrete help now,” she said.
The light projection was accompanied by an image of a Ukrainian flag behind it.
Moyer said that said that “no country’s greatness is elevated by violence and bullying. Neither the US role in NATO nor interference in post-Soviet Russia is an excuse for Putin’s immoral, delusional and dictatorial violence on the people of Ukraine and his endangerment of the entire world. We refuse to allow Putin to bait the world into further devastating violence or any escalation that might unleash unthinkable levels of nuclear annihilation.”
Moyers applauded the people of Russia protesting in order to halt the war being perpetrated in their name. He urged them to continue their courageous and necessary efforts to stop the war on Ukraine through general strikes or any other nonviolent means.
“There are so many threats to our children’s future and the planet. Those actual threats demand transnational solidarity and collaboration. Russia’s shameful war robs us all of the opportunity to address these challenges together.”
Other light images projected included ‘Stop the War Machine’ and ‘War Fixes Nothing.’ All images were projected over a color image of a blue and yellow Ukrainian flag.
A video of the action follows below.
