Candles were placed at Nanaimo Square in Penticton Saturday as part of a vigil to protest a potential war between the U.S. and Iran.
Image Credit: Natalie Maxon
January 26, 2020 - 2:00 PM
With recent tensions between the U.S. and Iran, Penticton residents gathered for a vigil Saturday to say no to a war between the two countries.
The rising tensions between the countries began when the U.S. assassinated Iran's top general earlier this month.
“Our vigil was part (of the global call for a) Global Day of Action - No War on Iran. We believe a war on Iran will have catastrophic impacts on civilians and destabilize the region. We believe leaders of the U.S. and Iran need to be held accountable for their wrong doings and oppression. For all who believe in peace, for all who are opposed to yet another catastrophic war, now is the time to take action,” the group said on a Facebook event.
Organizer Natalie Maxson said eight people attended the vigil. She decided to organize the event for a number of reasons and has a personal connection to Iran, she said.
“I am a peace activist and work on a number of social justice issues and currently work for a human rights organization and my partner and his family are from Iran,” she said.
Maxson’s cousin also lost her best friend when Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 was shot down shortly after takeoff while flying over Iran. All 176 passengers and crew members were killed. The co-organizer of the vigil also lost a cousin in the incident.
“When I saw there was a global call to action I wanted to do something locally no matter how many people (were) interested. We did engage people passing by on the sidewalk. Some people seemed pretty aware of the situation,” she said.
Protests were held around the world Saturday, Jan. 25.
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