A local activist group held its inaugural peace rally in St. John’s yesterday, calling for world peace amidst conflicts on the global stage.

The NL Alliance for Peace and Solidarity gathered at the Colonial Building in St. John’s, calling for Canada to leave NATO, while practicing de-escalation and disarmament.

Organizer Nathan Roberts says the group had been considering hosting a similar event in the past, but the ongoing invasion of Ukraine highlighted the need for action.

Roberts says their focus is on what Canada can do, saying first and foremost, supplying arms only continues the violence. With NATO being “an aggressor and aggravator,” the group is calling on the UN to mediate peace talks between Russia and the Ukraine, adding that Canada should not be involved in “policing the world.”