WATCH: LGBTQ activists use drone to place rainbow flag above city monument

[Behind the Aegis]

Throwing a Pride event in Ukraine can be challenging at the best of times. The East European country is not known for embracing LGBTQ rights, and the annual Pride march in the capital city, Kyiv, is often met with far-right counter protests.

This year, because of COVID-19, the annual Pride parade was canceled. Instead, in addition to running an online festival, the Pride organizers decided to mark Pride in an alternative way. They used a large drone to fly a 6-meter by 4-meter rainbow flag above the city.

The flag, which was carried on a weighted line, was then flown to one of the city’s most famous landmarks: the gigantic ‘Motherland’ sculpture that looks down upon the city. At 102 meters in height, the statue is 10 meters taller than New York’s Statue of Liberty.

The flag was positioned in such a way as to look like the sculpture was holding it up above the city. Accompanying the footage was a hashtag saying, #momwillunderstandandsupport (in reference to the ‘motherland’ statue).



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I couldn't figure out how to post the video, but it is at the link and worth the short watch!!!

[NurseJackie]

1. It doesn't look real. Something is "off" in the final shots... not quite right.

[cayugafalls]

3. The flag was not actually attached to the statue, it was flown near the sword.

Then the video was cropped to not show the drone.

They just wanted to "give the appearance of flying the flag" rather than actually attaching it, which would have violated the law.

[NurseJackie]

4. Ah... that makes sense.

Thanks.

Also, at the end of the video... look closely and you'll see the direction of the motion of the flag ripples is played in reverse, then forward, then reverse (to extend the length of the shot) That also contributed to the fakey-ness of the whole thing. (Instead, if they wanted to extend the final shot, they should have just done slow-motion.)

But, what do I know. I suppose it's not very easy to get a flat all the way up to the top of a statue to create the illusion.

It would have been cool if they had some sort of automatic release and had rigged some sort of "cap" device that would rest atop the sword and keep the flat in place until someone removed it.

[sinkingfeeling]

2. Kyiv is a neat city.

[crickets]

5. Both videos are quite beautiful and heartwarming. So creative! K&R