All of Burton’s mosques join hands, setting an inspiring precedent for communities nationwide.
Thousands Converge to Advocate for Peace and Denounce Genocidal Violence
Burton on Trent, [11/12/2023]—This Saturday, the streets of Burton on Trent will bear witness to an unprecedented demonstration of unity and compassion as thousands of people are expected to gather in support of the Peace Walk. Commencing at 1:30 pm from Burton Town Hall and concluding at Burton College, this event aims to attract participants from diverse backgrounds, including local businesses joining the strike. The organisers encourage families, friends, and neighbours to come along.
The Peace Walk, organised to promote peace and shed light on the ongoing situation in Palestine, has resonated deeply with the community. Only recently the community gathered together to give condolences to a valued member of our community who lost 12 immediate members of her family including her parents and siblings as a result of indiscriminate Israeli bombardments of civilian areas and shows that this is causing grief and anger within our communities close to home.
The message of the peace walk is to end occupation and end the apartheid. Participants, ranging from individuals and families to representatives of local businesses, will carry banners and placards conveying messages of solidarity with those affected by the conflict. Children will be holding red balloons, inspired by Banksy’s iconic ‘girl with balloon,’ symbolising childhood, hope, and freedom.
The plan is to in a heartwarming display of empathy, The event places great emphasis on respecting the War Memorial and public spaces, with over 50 voluntary security staff ensuring protection and managing crowds to minimise traffic disruptions and ensure the safety of all participants and bystanders during this busy time.
Previous events have been incident-free, with PC Taylor representing the local Police who attended the previous event, told of how in his 26 years of work he had never seen such a well organised event, all the way down to litter picking after the peace walk had concluded.
Despite scepticism about the impact of protests, the organisers have a sense of hope that people of humanity will hear this call and are trying their very best to raise their voices on behalf of the oppressed, even if the UK government and local council continues to remain silent regarding at the very least calling for an ending of the occupation and investigation into the war crimes.
Concerns have been raised both online and in person about the lack of action from local political leaders from all parties. Numerous emails and a petition to raise a council motion have been sent to 21 labour, 15 conservatives, and 1 independent with only 3 responding.
Labour councillors, Arshad Afsar, Mick Huckerby and Micheal Slater have been forthcoming and were prepared to risk reprimand from the labour leadership by taking this course of action. On the other hand, the rest have just expressed collective sympathy but very little political action in reality. Notable opportunities have been missed, such as not calling for an emergency meeting by the Mayor or getting together at least 5 councillors to raise a motion agreeing for a ceasefire.
A Facebook post on the Burton On Trent Updates community page criticised the silence of leaders who were vocal during the Ukrainian conflict but turned silent on the genocide and international war crimes in Palestine. Many locals have felt betrayed and have lost faith and trust in these candidates which were voted in by their community and it will take a great deal of effort to convince locals to support them come next elections.
The Peace Walk – A Reminder of Community Power
The Peace Walk serves as a powerful reminder that communities can unite for a just cause, demonstrating that peace, unity, and compassion can transcend boundaries and differences.
Why We Stand Together
We believe in the right of the Palestinian people to live in dignity, freedom, and security, free from occupation, illegal settlements, apartheid, and genocidal violence.
We are part of a growing global voice, inspired by the courage of the Palestinian people and motivated by the vision of a peaceful and just future for everyone.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Mr Mohammed Kabir
Media Representative
United Burton Mosques
07397026060
Mohammed_kabir@hotmail.com
