Live portrait – ‘Free People Have Guns’

Live portrait – ‘Free People Have Guns’

On September, 28 the Ukrainian Gun Owners Association together with photo artist Igor Gaidai created the first in Ukrainian history live portrait – ‘Free People Have Guns’ in Kiev.

This event was supported by thousands of Ukrainians, and hundreds of Ukrainians in civil casual wear but with guns in their arms showed their unity and resolution to stand for peace and for security of their families and their country.

The aim of its organizers was to show the whole world that Ukrainians look for peace but they are ready to defend their land at any moment, and both our friends and our enemies should be aware.

Igor Gaidai:

-I thought of the project as my reply to the situation in Ukraine and to open Russian aggression. This is also my reaction as for the screaming situation around the Gun Law. I’ve got an experience of creating collective photo portraits. One of them – with 1.500 participants – has been included into the Record Book of Ukraine.

What was new for me that is the concept of this project: civilians with guns, not only men and women but the whole families. This is the reflection of modern times: the country is in the state of war, the large amount of the illegal guns is in circulation, and we have to be concerned about our self defence. While obeying the law.

That is why this project is my signature under the letter to the president of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko with the demand for the Gun Law assistance. This is also an address to those who are eager to continue aggression – both from inside and outside. And this is of course a call for those who are in the forward position now. They must know that the home front is safe.

Georgiy Uchaykin, Chairman Ukrainian Gun Owners Association:

-We want to return our original right for private property defence and we do not want to hold on our shoulders the unbearable for society quantity of policemen who cannot defend us. At the same time we understand that our Parliament (Verkhovna Rada) cannot even simulate its legislative activity. That is why we are sure that the President of Ukraine must interfere in the situation.

We hope that the governing body of Ukraine has an understanding of the risks that the country will face in the nearest future. And that’s why we should urgently adopt the Gun Law that will help us to strike the illegal guns market.

Unfortunately our previous appeal to the President has been ignored, so we have decided to visualize our demands. We have to assume the offensive and we’ll ignore those who tell us that the war is going on and this is not the right time for criticism and law initiatives. All these comments will not stop us.

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Letter to the President of Ukraine

Confirmation of sending the letter to the President

Notification of delivery

Народний фотопроект “Вільні люди мають зброю”

28.09.2014. Власники зброї вимагають ухвалити законопроект "Про цивільну зброю та боєприпаси"