HOUSTON, Texas — Standing in the cold and rain was a only minor inconvenience compared to what loved ones in Ukraine are currently experiencing, demonstrators said on Saturday.
“It’s really hard to say how they’re coping," said native Ukrainian Yuliya Rogovskyy. "They’re just, you know, they just cry."
"We just cry all the time.”
Rogovskyy and her husband, Artem, came to the U.S. from Ukraine years ago.
“I’m originally from Kyiv,” said Artem Rogovskyy.
They came to Saturday's demonstration outside the Russian consulate in Houston with their children as their family in Ukraine hide in bunkers.
“I’m in shock and still can’t believe it you know?" said Artem. "As we speak they’re being shelled and bombarded.”
A handful of demonstrators showed up around Noon before things greatly expanded a couple of hours later thanks, in large part, to social media posts.
People with ties to both Ukraine and Russia participated in the demonstration.
"It’s the saddest moment when a war is chosen as a way to resolve political differences," said native Russian Alexei Tchernriek. "And the fact that it has come to this, it’s very sad."
"Being Russian, it’s something that pains my heart.”
Ending the situation in Ukraine as soon as possible is what demonstrators called for without exchanging anything with Russia.
"We want to resist," said Artem Rogovskyy. "We don’t want to be under Russian regime, Putin’s regime."
We asked him at what cost would he be willing to achieve that.
"Whatever it takes,” Artem responded.
We reached out to the Russian consulate for a comment on this latest demonstration but have yet to hear back.
Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo was among demonstrators on Saturday.
"I joined hundreds of Harris County residents today standing with the people of Ukraine and for democracy, freedom, and human rights," Hidalgo said in a Tweet. "There are so many stories of bravery in the families of those I met today."