An event in east London has celebrated the lives of more than 20 people who died in tragic circumstances. Sunday’s meeting was organised by the family of Jan Mustafa, who was murdered in Newham in 2018.
Her killer, a convicted sex offender, also murdered Henriett Szucs and hid the bodies of both women in a freezer.
The event at Newham Town Hall was attended by hundreds of people and the borough’s mayor said it would now become an annual occasion.
Families of murder victims from around London and the UK took part, representing their loved ones and highlighting issues and campaigns connected to each case.
Table-top tributes to people who had died were mixed with stalls by organisations involved in combatting violence against women, honour-based violence and knife crime.
Ayse Hussein, cousin of Ms Mustafa, organised the event and told the crowd: “We’ve got voices and they need to be heard”.
Sophie Linden, the deputy mayor, also spoke and paid tribute to the families involved.
The event heard a new London refuge for women had opened in tribute to Ms Mustafa.
The refuge, called Jan’s Place, is run by charity Nia and provides accommodation for women who have been subjected to violence.
Ms Hussein said the opening of the refuge was “overwhelming” and it was already full.
Those whose lives were celebrated at the event included:
Jan Mustafa
Henriett Szucs
Sabina Nessa
Ellie Gould
Zara Aleena
Raneem Oudeh
Khaola Saleem
Jack Taylor
Ricky Hayden
Liam Taylor
Terri Harris
Poppy Devey Waterhouse
Sibel Melin
Julie Butcher
Mumtahina Jannat
Dawn Rhodes
Banaz Mahmod
Leon Ulett
Bianca Thomas
Michael Jonas
Ashley Wadsworth
Surjit Athwal
Stephen Lawrence
Imani Allaway-Muir
Source: BBC
