A national group of protestors are organizing a demonstration and march in Dayton against NATO, and leaders said it will be peaceful.
The NATO Spring Parliamentary Assembly is being held in Downtown Dayton through May 26, 2025, coinciding with the 30th anniversary of the Dayton Peace Accords ending the Bosnian civil war.
Shenby Gottschlich has been with the Act Now to Stop War & End Racism — or ANSWER — Coalition for about five years.
"We're protesting NATO's Parliamentary Assembly and bringing hundreds together in Dayton to demand money for people's needs and not the war machine," Gottschlich said.
It’s partnering with more than a dozen groups across Ohio and beyond to lead a protest at Deeds Point Metropark on Webster Street at noon Sunday, May 25. Other groups that have send they're attending include the People’s Forum, CODEPINK, the Party for Socialism and Liberation, National Students for Justice in Palestine, and the Palestinian Youth Movement Cleveland.
"We don't want war. We want peace. And that means ... also putting all that money back into our communities, that the community determines for itself what they need," Gottschlich said.
Collectively, they oppose how the United States and other NATO nations spend trillions engaging in and promoting war around the world. Instead, according to Gottschlich–ANSWER advocates economic initiatives that improve lives.
"It's a critical moment to fight for peace in the world, to end these forever wars. Really directing money that is right now being used for war toward solving the crises working class people (face), such as poverty, high homelessness, affordable rent," Gottschlich said.
Participants will march from the park to a nearby church for the People’s Assembly for Peace and Justice program.
National speakers will encourage people to get involved in their community.
At the last NATO Parliamentary Assembly in Montreal, protests turned violent when people clashed with police. Gottschlich emphasizes the event in Dayton will have security and disruptors will be escorted out.
"We have a dedicated security team that has done work for many different national demonstrations. We'll have marshals, we will have medics, and therefore we will not tolerate any types of disruption or interference from people that are spouting hate against particular groups, whether it's Black Americans or trans people," stressed Gottschlich. "We're making sure that this is a safe space for everyone."
