I captured some audio and video from yesterday’s protest.
Tag: StopISIS
Stockholm Iraqi, Syrian, Lebanese call on government to stop IS violence against Christians
A reported 10,000 people attended a demonstration Sunday afternoon 10 August outside the Sensus public swimming pool at Medborgarplatsen, downtown Stockholm. The protest, put together by various religious and secular organizations, aimed to unite Iraqi, Syrian, and Lebanese Christians in Stockholm to call on the government to intervene in the reported violence against Christians in Iraq.
protest started early. medborgarplatsen is packed with syriacs iraqis lebanese and other arabic-speaking people. pic.twitter.com/HsWPsJVA8O
— Mina Demian (@MinaDimyan) August 10, 2014
pic.twitter.com/HmLIOJVFKz — Mina Demian (@MinaDimyan) August 10, 2014
“Religious, ethnic ethnic cleansing and the driving out of Syriac/Aramaic [people]”
— Mina Demian (@MinaDimyan) August 10, 2014
On left: “Convert to Islam, disappear, or die” On right: “Autonomous zone for Christians”
Reported 10k people at this protest. pic.twitter.com/TCy1vPNRUN — Mina Demian (@MinaDimyan) August 10, 2014
Political leaders from across the spectrum took to the podium to show solidarity with the plight of Christians and add their voices to the call on government to take action against the Islamic State (IS) in Iraq and Syria.
Folkspartiet leader: “Chaldeans, Assyrians, Syriacs are the original peoples of civilizations” #protest #Stockholm #Sverige #StopISIS
— Mina Demian (@MinaDimyan) August 10, 2014
Christian Democrat MP Robert Halef spoke first in Aramaic before switching to Swedish.
“Jihadis must be stopped” #Medborgarplatsen #protest — Mina Demian (@MinaDimyan) August 10, 2014
EU minister starts out her speech by saying “Schlomo!” #medborgarplatsen #protest #sverige #stockholm… http://t.co/fqOTnyTiY1
— Mina Demian (@MinaDimyan) August 10, 2014
Schlomo is peace in Aramaic, close to its Hebrew version shalom.
Sluta blunda agera nu “open your eyes act now” – slogan and chant of #protest #medborgarplatsen — Mina Demian (@MinaDimyan) August 10, 2014
“My heart bleeds for Iraq!” – Christian Democrat MP Robert Halef #protest #medborgarplatsen #StopISIS
— Mina Demian (@MinaDimyan) August 10, 2014
Crowd boos speaker who defends Carl Bildt’s non-support of Christians in Iraq and Syria. #protest #Stockholm #Sverige #medborgarplatsen — Mina Demian (@MinaDimyan) August 10, 2014
Emphatic English speaker: “Are Christians not newsworthy!:
— Mina Demian (@MinaDimyan) August 10, 2014
MP asks why Swedish govt called the death of Armenians genocide and refuses to do so with IS and Iraq. — Mina Demian (@MinaDimyan) August 10, 2014
Liberal People’s Party MP Fredrik Malm’s speech was met with resounding cheers from the crowd:
“This is not a protest about property tax!” – fredrik malm. revs up the crowd.
— Mina Demian (@MinaDimyan) August 10, 2014
“This is not a protest about property tax!” – fredrik malm. revs up the crowd.
— Mina Demian (@MinaDimyan) August 10, 2014
“Sweden must give back to your homelands”
— Mina Demian (@MinaDimyan) August 10, 2014
For context, he said that Sweden must give back to your homelands as you have given to Sweden.
Christian religious leaders also attended and spoke at the rally, representing the Roman Catholic, Syrian Orthodox, and Antiochian Orthodox churches. Artists, singing in both Swedish and Arabic, provided time for reflection and prayer, away from the steady stream of political statements.
Halfway through the protest, groups carrying the ethnic Syriac and Assyrian flags were seen waving them despite calls by organizers to take them down.
Flagbearer asked to not wave flag. Organisers dont want this protest to be about ethnicities. Dude ignored request. pic.twitter.com/6XsvrEh5hv — Mina Demian (@MinaDimyan) August 10, 2014