But the society, which was formed in 1883, says the sign is also a way to try to persuade the Swedish authorities to rethink using military means for national security. In October, Sweden launched a huge military operation to search its waters for a suspected Russian submarine, and the government recently announced a massive increase in military spending . "If military actions and weapons had functioned as conflict-resolution methods, there would be peace in the world a long time ago," says SPAS president Anna Ek. Instead, the organisation says it's inviting any submariners who spot the sign to join them at the Stockholm Pride parade in August, noting on its website: "In times of unrest, love and peace across boundaries is more important than ever."