We remember. We reclaim. We heal.
That was the message for hundreds of Londoners who came to the intersection of Old Carriage Road and Hyde Park Road on Monday night, to commemorate the first anniversary of the terror attack that took the lives of four members of the Afzaal family last year.
"This is what they wanted to focus on for this event," organizer Selma Tobah said of Youth Coalition Combatting Islamophobia members who helped make the vigil happen. "They wanted to reclaim the location itself. The crash site, reclaim it from hate. Make it a site of love."
They also unveiled a mural designed by members of the Muslim community that will stand in memorial at the intersection where Salman Afzaal, 46, his wife Madiha Salman, 44, their 15-year-old daughter Yumna Afzaal and Salman Afzaal’s 74-year-old mother Talat Afzaal were killed June 6, 2021.
It was the final part of a day dedicated to the family throughout the city.
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Just after the mural was unveiled, the event had to be called off due to lightning in the area. Speeches that had been scheduled will be available via video online in the days to come.
"It was great to see the people who came out, it was a pretty solid number considering the forecast," Tobah said. "We got to at least do the unveiling of the mural."
The themes of the mural were taken from a mural that Yunmah did at the London Muslim Mosque.
"It will be there for a long time," Tobah said.