A WREATH containing white poppies of peace was laid down at the official remembrance ceremony in Bristol for the first time today.

Mayor Paula O’Rourke laid the mixed wreath with both red and white poppies at the city’s Sunday service.

The white poppy commemorates all victims of war — whether military or civilian.

It applies to all conflicts and puts an emphasis on the need to honour the dead by promoting peace.

White poppies, produced by the Peace Pledge Union (PPU), featured in official and alternative ceremonies around Britain to mark remembrance Sunday this year.

Leicester University and Aberystwyth Council are among other public bodies to include white poppy wreaths in their ceremonies, the organisation said.

“The increased use of white poppies is a sign of growing acceptance of the need to remember all victims of war by working for peace,” it said in a statement.

There has been controversy around the use of the red poppy in remembrance, with peace campaigners believing it has become a symbol of militarism.

Red poppy appeals have previously been sponsored by the arms industry, which profits from war.

The PPU also organised its own remembrance event on Sunday called the National Alternative Remembrance Ceremony which happened in London’s Tavistock Square at noon.

The alternative ceremony involved the laying of white wreaths and a two minutes’ silence to commemorate all victims of war.

Speakers included commentator and comedian Kate Smurthwaite, who was recently challenged for wearing a white poppy when she appeared on Channel 5’s Jeremy Vine Show.

Ms Smurthwaite said: “We must ask the difficult questions. We must acknowledge the unseen ways in which our actions and choices and those of the society in which we live fan the flames — and fund the mechanisms — of brutality.

“We must tear down the so-called defence industry brick by brick.

“We must chase down every hypocritical politician and demand they answer our questions and face the truth.

“Otherwise, what is our grief for?”

Messages were also heard from peace campaigners in Russia and Ukraine.

Reading out a statement from the Russian Movement for Conscientious Objectors, PPU’s Nadja Lovadinov said: “There are many of us — together we can do a lot.

“We are the opposition to war, patriarchy, authoritarianism and militarism. We are the future and we will win.”

Prominent figures including Oscar-winning actor Mark Rylance and poet Benjamin Zephaniah have endorsed the white poppy campaign this year, the PPU said.