Odessa diocese of UOC reports threats to Cross Procession from right-wing organizations

The statement of the press service of the Odessa diocese regarding threats from right-wing organizations is published today on the website of the diocese. 

"In the evening of 25 July, on the FB site of "Automaidan Odessa" appeared a provocative call to inflict punishment over the Odessites – participants of the All-Ukrainian Cross Procession of peace and prayer for our country, which in the near future are planning to join the other participants of the Cross Procession in Kiev, who had started their walk to meet each other from the eastern and western regions of our long-suffering country, symbolizing the unity of the prayer of all Ukrainians," reads the statement. 

"Provocateurs from Automaidan openly call on their supporters to gather in their office, then to organize pogroms of buses with pilgrims from Odessa. The radicals have placed pictures of a crushed and burnt earlier bus on their FB page. It also has threats against carriers," stresses out the press office of the Diocese. 

The statement also said: "In this regard, we appeal to the heads of the Security Service Office of the Odessa region, Odessa Region Prosecutor's Office, the regional police with a request to prevent possible provocations by extremist organizations planning attacks against Odessa participants of the Cross Procession. We also request for the allocation of the appropriate number of staff to accompany the convoy with the pilgrims, because radicals do not hide their plans to attack the faithful on the whole route." 

It was stressed that the faithful do not have political ambitions and slogans and are driven by the only goal to "preserve peace and harmony in Ukraine, uniting the multinational Ukrainian people on the move to the legal European state, where the rights of believers to freedom of expression of their religious feelings recorded in the Constitution are clearly observed." 

"We also appeal to the leadership of Ukraine and people's deputies, to international human rights organizations, OSCE staff, all political and social organizations in favor of compliance with basic democratic norms and human rights, with a request for support of our good deeds, aimed at preserving peace and harmony in the Ukrainian society and the prosperity of the people of our multinational Ukrainian state," summarized in the statement.

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