Hundreds of mourners gather in East London for vigil in honour of murdered Zara Aleena
HUNDREDS of people gathered yesterday for a silent walking vigil in honour of murdered law graduate Zara Aleena.
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan and Labour MP Wes Streeting joined family, friends, campaigners and well-wishers to remember her.
Zara, 35, was killed a year ago today, just minutes from her front door.
Crowds wore white and carried pictures of Ms Aleena captioned: “I am Zara.”
Her family led the crowd on the route she would have taken on the night she died through Ilford in East London, inviting Mr Khan to walk alongside them at the front.
Her aunt Farah Naz said: “Zara was so sweet. We would like to remember her as a fighter for justice.”
Mr Khan, who attended with his wife and daughter, said: “We have an epidemic of violence against women and girls — and my gender is responsible.
“Our mission is to remember Zara and redouble our efforts to end violence against women.”
Mr Streeting, Labour MP for Ilford North, made a speech at the end of the vigil in which he highlighted the political actions needed to reduce male violence, while thanking the police officers involved in Ms Aleena’s case.
He said: “So often the perpetrators don’t even see the inside of a courtroom, let alone the inside of a prison cell.
“The police know, they’ve got lot to change too. Not just more policing on our streets, but better policing.”