This is not a battlefield: Scenes from yesterday’s SF demonstration in support of Ukrainians

More than one thousand Ukraine American San Franciscans and allies gathered on Thursday in front of City Hall to protest the Russian invasion of Ukraine. While many around the world fear the outbreak of World War III, the tone at the protest was much more personal, with many expressing concern for loved ones who live in the capital of Kyiv and other targeted areas.

While speakers pledged support for the Ukraine people onstage, question swirled through protestors’ conversations. Will President Biden’s promise of 7,000 more troops to NATO prove effective in stopping Russian President Vladimir Putin’s rain of explosives? What will be the response of Ukraine’s population to what may well become a forcible takeover of government?

Photographer Lucas Thornton’s shots capture the tragic historic occasion.