On Saturday 10th October Maz Saleem lit the National Candle of Hope and Remembrance for those affected by hate crime in memory of her father Mohammed Saleem who was knifed to death in an Islamaphobic hate crime attack.
The candle will remain burning in St Paul’s Cathedral for the duration of National Hate Crime Awareness Week #NHCAW which takes place between the second and third Saturday of October each year. This year the week takes place between the 10th-17th October.
Now in it’s fourth year, the week organised by 17-24-30 No to Hate Crime Campaignin partnership with Stop Hate UK. The week aims to encourage local authorities (Police and Councils) to work with communities affected by hate crime.
The week aims to make it clear that there is no place for hate in our communities using the hash tags #WeStandTogether, #NoPlaceForHate and #SafePlaceForAll.
Previously the National Candle has been lit by Peggy and Carolyn Moore (Mother and sister of Nik Moore killed during the Admiral Duncan nail bomb attack), Jen Baynham(Sister of Ian Baynham who died after a homophobic attack in Trafalgar Square) andSylvia Lancaster (Mother of Sophie Lancaster who died after a gang of youths attacked her and her boyfriend for being Goths).
