BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Dozens of concerned citizens gathered in Niagara Square in Downtown Buffalo to make their voices heard in opposition to recent U.S. military action in Iran.
The rally, organized by the WNY Peace Center, brought together Western New Yorkers from diverse backgrounds who shared their perspectives on the international situation.
WATCH: Western New Yorkers rally against U.S. strikes in Iran, voicing concerns over escalating conflict
"We just need to get people out in the streets to let the government know that we're just not going to sit by and watch it happen," said David Caligiury, a Buffalo resident who attended the rally.
The demonstration came in direct response to the U.S. bombing of Iran over the weekend, with participants expressing strong opposition to military action.
Victoria Ross, community coordinator for the WNY Peace Center, emphasized concerns about resource allocation during international conflict.
"We pay the price because the resources that are being used by arming Israel, as well as, more importantly, as we're talking about this, making war in Iraq, those resources are needed for our needs," Ross said.
She further criticized the broader approach to international conflicts in recent years.
"The war on terror has given politicians cover to do whatever they want for all these years, and all it's done is make us more unsafe, caused more turmoil and hardship, death and destruction all over the world," Ross said.
The rally also featured perspectives from Iranian Americans in our community.
Nadia Shahram, a lawyer and Iranian American, shared her position.
"I'm here as an Iranian born and being in touch with Iranian people in Iran and outside of Iran," Shahram said. "And if a regime change is coming as a result of this illegal war, we accept that."
For Buffalo law student and Iranian American Tina Efteekharinia, the rally represented an important opportunity to speak out.
"They have cut out the internet in Iran, so people have not been able to contact their family," said Efteekharinia."We don't know if some of them are alive or not, so it's important that we, in a nation like this where we do have the freedom of the press, come and show our support."
Other participants expressed concerns about the potential consequences of continued military action.
"Trump comes into office the first time and the second time and throws away our agreements with Iran," Caligiury said. "So they're doing what they have to do to protect themselves."
Sarah Leader, another Buffalo resident at the rally, voiced her worries about the impact on American troops.
"American troops are going to suffer from this," Leader said. "So, as much as Trump bombing Iran didn't declare war, we're at war again. He said that he was going to work on diplomacy. Diplomacy was important, but here we are again."
According to the Scripps News Group, late Monday afternoon, President Donald Trump announced that Israel and Iran had agreed to a ceasefire.
President Trump shared a message on his Truth Social platform which said in part:
"It has been fully agreed by and between Israel and Iran that there will be a Complete and Total CEASEFIRE (in approximately 6 hours from now, when Israel and Iran have wound down and completed their in progress, final missions!), for 12 hours, at which point the War will be considered, ENDED!"
On Tuesday, the Scripps News Group reported that President Trump said that he believed that both Israel and Iran violated ceasefire terms with attacks that followed an early Tuesday deadline to cease hostilities.
According to the Scripps News Group, Israel accused Iran of launching missiles into its airspace after the ceasefire was supposed to take effect. Iran’s state media said its military denied firing on Israel. Trump said Iran “violated it but Israel violated it too ... I’m not happy with Israel.”
You can read the latest here.
