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Some Mainers join national protests of billions of dollars spent to arm Ukraine

Peace groups and others organized Rage Against the War Machine rallies in Bath and Westbrook Sunday to protest the escalating costs of the war in Ukraine. The Rage Against the War Machine participants want the U.S. to stop funding weaponry for Ukraine, disband NATO, slash the Pentagon budget, and negotiate peace.

Lisa Savage, event organizer and former U.S. Senate candidate, says that the U.S. should not be spending billions of dollars to arm Ukraine when there are pressing issues here at home.

"I'm not mad at Ukrainians, they're dying in ditches over this," Savage said. "But we're going to cut SNAP benefits this month? And we're not fully funding education and we don't have universal healthcare, but we have billions to send to Ukraine."

Savage says she believes that the Russia-Ukraine conflict amounts to the third World War and could spark a nuclear confrontation. About 20 protesters held signs, flags, and banners at a busy Route 1 intersection in Bath as motorists passed. A national Rage Against the War Machine rally was also held at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.