Dozens of people on Saturday staged a silent demonstration in Helsinki commemorating the Palestinian children, who were killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza.
Organised by Äitikapina, the Finnish unit of the international Mothers’ Rebellion, a sister organization of Extinction Rebellion (Elokapina in Finland) at city´s Keskuskatu area in the afternoon, the demonstrators wearing black dress protested the killings of thousands of civilians including children by Israeli army in Gaza.
They formed a solemn circle around a string orchestra that performed funeral music, adding to the atmosphere of mourning and solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza.
“Music brings out emotions and brings people closer to each other,” Catarina Aminoff, coordinator of Äitikapina told Daily Finland.
Musicians alternated between conducting violin performances and joining the other participants in their moments of silence, paying tributes to the victims in an atmosphere occasionally marked by tears.
The participants in the demonstration brought symbolic items that evoke the memory of children, including toys, clothing, and shoes, contributing to the quiet and sorrowful atmosphere.
The event concluded with a five-minute silence when everyone stood up to pay respects to the victims.
“The news from Gaza is just so sad,” Aminoff said.
“We felt that it was necessary to have this type of silent and funeral-like demonstration in memory of the children who have died,” she added.
While acknowledging the many loud pro-Palestinian protests that have been taking place, the coordinator explained that this time the aim was to create a space for people to feel and express the emotions of grief and sorrow as well as to honour the lives lost.
She said that the central mission of the Äitikapina movement to combat climate change, is deeply intertwined with pro-Palestinian advocacy.
She argued that the core of climate activism extends beyond the simple goal of reducing carbon emissions.
“The two struggles are tied by the same values we hold as climate activists: solidarity, care, justice, and the right of every human to live in safety and freedom,” Aminoff said.
Standing with Palestine is not separate from standing for a liveable planet — it is, in fact, part of it,” he added.
- Demonestration
- Helsinki
- Protest
- Genocide
- Gaza
Source: www.dailyfinland.fi
