Hundreds of Christians unite in a prayer walk through London.
21 February 2007
Hundreds of Christians, along with Londoners from all communities, will unite in a prayer walk through the two London boroughs blighted by recent tragic attacks.
The torch-lit walk, from Peckham Square to Windrush Square in Brixton, follows the murders in the area in the past month.
It will take place from 5pm to 7pm on February 22, the same day the Prime Minster holds a Government summit on gun crime, with ministers, police and experts.
The walk has been organised by a coalition of Black church and other Christian leaders, and there will be representation from people of other faiths and diverse communities. It is being supported by the Mayor of London’s office and the Metropolitan Police Service.
Pastor Nims Obunge, of Peace Alliance, said: “Drugs and guns are a menace to our society.“We all need to work together with criminal justice agencies to help vulnerable young people and keep guns off the street.”
One of the leaders at the walk will be Pastor Les Isaac, Director of the Ascension Trust Street Pastors Initiative. This organises hundreds of volunteer pastors across the country, who go onto the streets to talk to young people at night.
Pastor Isaac said: “Parents have spoken to us about young people going to school wearing bullet-proof vests.
“I’m walking because there is an expectation that the church should do something – should stand with those who are mourning. They should also find a solution, a way forward to get our young people out of this quagmire.”
Lee Jasper is Director of Policing for the Mayor of London’s Office and Chair of the Metropolitan Police Service Operation Trident Independent Advisory Group.
He said the Mayor’s Office applauds the response of Black majority churches to the spate of murders of teenagers in South London.
“This prayer walk will demonstrate the total abhorrence of the vast majority of black Londoners to gun violence,” he said.
“Our children need to see we care.
“We must support the police tackling these crimes. We must also face the reality that we have a serious problem with a small minority of our young people. Parental and familial responsibility here is absolutely key.”
Cheryl Sealey, an anti-gun campaigner and a member of the Operation Trident advisory group, said: “As believers, it’s important for us to work and pray for peace – faith without works is dead.
“We want as many people as possible to support the march on Thursday.”
The Black Police Association works with young people and faith communities in London. Its deputy chair, Bevan Powell, said: “The police cannot tackle this problem alone.
“The churches are critical partners in addressing the issues and providing a moral and positive framework for young people.”
Media enquiries:
Bill Shaw / Lucy Cooper
Evangelical Alliance Press Office
0207 2072115 / 0207 2072107
Mobile Numbers
Charis Gibson - 07917 050126
Bill Shaw - 07810 183635
Pauline Brandt - 07917 590182
For further information and interviews before or during the walk.
Notes to editors:
There will also be speeches from political and police representatives, Christian leaders and relatives of victims of violence, including Isaac Attram, whose son Eugene, 16, was stabbed to death in Mitcham last November.
Among the church leaders attending will be Pastor Les Isaac, Director of the Ascension Trust Street Pastors Initiative, Bishop Wayne Malcolm of Christian Life City Church, Nims Obunge of Peace Alliance, Bishop John Francis of Ruach Ministries, Ermal Kirby of the Methodist Church, the Rev Katei Kirby, Chief Executive of the African and Caribbean Evangelical Alliance, Rev I. Bowman of the Church of England, Patrick Regan of Gunz Down, Pastor Matthew Ashimolowo of KICC, Marcia Da Costa of the Metropolitan Police Advisory Group, Pastor Agu Irukwu from Jesus House, Pastor Kayode Owolabi, Lee Jasper of the Mayor of London’s office, Dr R. David Muir, Public Policy Director of the Evangelical Alliance, the Rev Nancy Odunewu, the Rev Joel Edwards, General Director of the Evangelical Alliance.
Provisional Itinerary
5pm – Walkers will gather at Peckham Square, outside the library. Speeches and prayers will be said.
5.30pm – The walk will begin down Peckham High Street towards Camberwell Green.
5.40pm – The walk will stop at Southampton Way, where there will be a minute’s silence and speeches.
5.50pm – The walk will proceed down Peckham High Street to Camberwell Green, where it will turn left and then right into Coldharbour Lane. It will then follow Brixton Road to Windrush Square, close to the McDonalds restaurant in Brixton where two teenagers were shot in September last year.
6.30pm – Prayers, singing and speeches at Windrush Square.
Recent attacks in the area include:
Michael Dosunmu, 15, was murdered in Diamond Street, Peckham, south-east London, in the early hours of February 6.
Chamberlain Igwemba, 47, was shot dead and another person was seriously injured at a flat in Clayton Road in Peckham on February 4.
Javarie Crighton, 21, was stabbed to death in Southampton Way, Peckham on February 3.
Michael McKenzie, 40, was stabbed to death in Peckham Hill Street, Peckham, on April 4, 2006.
Ruth Okechukwu, 18, was stabbed to death in Walworth, in September 2005.
Zainab Kalokoh, 33, was murdered at a christening party in Peckham, in August 2005. 18 year-old Roberto Malasi was recently sentenced to 30 years in prison for the murders of Ruth Okechukwu and Zainab Kalokoh. ·
