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NYers Will Hold Vigil For Aleppo Outside Russian Mission To UN Tonight
By
Scott Heins
Published Dec 13, 2016
Modified Dec 13, 2016
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Michele Tantussi / Getty Images
By
Scott Heins
Published Dec 13, 2016
Modified Dec 13, 2016
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Motivated by the redoubled and horrific assault against rebel-held territory in the Syrian city of Aleppo, New Yorkers plan to gather in protest and solidarity at Russia's Permanent Mission to the United Nations Tuesday night. Described as an Emergency Protest and Candlelight Vigil, the gathering will condemn what it describes as "genocidal attacks from the Regime and its allies, Russia, Iran, and Hezzbollah."
In recent days, the situation in the already-battered Eastern section of Aleppo has become a catastrophe as the Syrian Army, with strong backing from the Russian military, unleashed a near-relentless bombing campaign ahead of a street-by-street takeover of neighborhoods inhabited by thousands of innocent civilians. The UN Human Rights office has cited reliable evidence that at least 82 civilians have been killed in the recent attacks, 13 of which were children. Estimated death tolls from others inside Aleppo are running far higher.
“Dozens of bodies reportedly litter the streets of a number of east Aleppo neighborhoods, with residents unable to retrieve them due to the intense bombardment and fear of being shot,” U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad al Hussein, said Tuesday. Some in Aleppo have told Western media outlets that numerous civilian women have committed suicide in their homes, fearing they would be raped by members of the advancing Assadist forces. In the last 48 hours, social media has been flooded with "final messages" from inhabitants of East Aleppo sharing what they believed to have been their last words with the world.
Tuesday night's rally has been organized in part by Amina Susan Ali, one of the organizers behind the Committee in Solidarity with the People of Syria. She says the rally's aim is to specifically place pressure on Russia to scale back their bombardment of Aleppo and support of Assad's military forces.
The Emergency Protest and Candlelight Vigil for Aleppo begins at 5 p.m., Tuesday, December 13th // Russian Federation Permanent Mission to the UN // 136 E 67th Street, Manhattan
Tagged
aleppo
bashar al assad
free syrian army
russia
syria
Scott Heins
Scott Heins is a freelance photo and video journalist based in New York City, and a frequent contributor to Gothamist + WNYC. His work often centers around labor rights, housing, and policing. In 2018-2019 he traveled to four states while covering a wave of public school teachers strikes, with work featured in The New York Times, The Intercept, Getty Images, Splinter, and Bloomberg Photos. Scott is a dues-paying member of the National Writers Union's Freelance Solidarity Project.
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