Birmingham vigil for Pakistan-origin victims
(Read: "Escalating UK violence: 3 British-Pakistanis crushed by rioters’ car")
The deaths last week in Birmingham, central England, proved to be a turning point in the country's worst riots for decades after the grieving father of one of the victims made an emotional appeal for calm.
The open-air vigil on Thursday for victims Haroon Jahan, 21, and brothers Shazad Ali, 30, and Abdul Musavir, 31, comes after a man appeared in court in Birmingham charged with their murder.
Ian Beckford, 30, is the fourth person to be charged in connection with the deaths. He spoke only to confirm his name and address during a brief hearing at Birmingham magistrates court on Thursday.
Police said there would be prayers and speeches at Thursday's memorial event at Summerfield Park in Birmingham's Asian-dominated residential Winson Green district. The event is open to the local community and the media.
"There will be a visible presence of police officers at the event, but not high numbers as this is a peaceful event which is being supported by the police," West Midlands Police said in a statement.
Hearses will then take the coffins of the three men to a private Muslim burial service at Handsworth cemetery.
Five people in total were killed during four nights of rioting in English cities but the deadliest single incident was the one in Birmingham on August 10.
The three men were mown down by a car as they stood guard outside local homes and businesses in an attempt to protect them from looters rampaging through the city.
Tariq Jahan, the father of the youngest victim, emerged as a heroic figure as he defused growing tensions over their deaths, making an impassioned plea to a group of angry men from the South Asian community.
Urging them not to seek revenge, he said: "I don't want any of you to fight. My son died defending the community he lived in. We're part of this community so please go home."
Police in the area have acknowledged that Jahan's plea lowered the temperature in Winson Green, a racially mixed area where relations between different communities are largely good.
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@kailashsethy: The picture depicts some of the family relatives attending an open air Janazah for the three slain held in Birmingham Summerfield park and NOT in London!
I attended the Janazah as well as twenty five thousand others. The congregation consisted of different ethnicities, race and religion. Some having traveled as far away as Saudi Arabia and the United States just to attend the Janazah.
"Soon europe will be arabland.. Europe needs to do something bout it" Is that a crude remark with racist undertones? These were Pakistanis!!! @Hasan @rikky Why is the picture 'scary' and of major concern to Brits? Is it because of the garb? Is it because of the way they are walking? And, what exactly is the picture saying, Hassan. Were you there?
I must say picture in the article is quite scary.
3 brothers gone protecting our community, Mashallah Gone straight to jannat.
The picture says it all and must be a major concern to Brits.
Mr. Cameron do something more instead of asking Pakistan to do more.
Really? this pic is from london(in Europe)..my eyes can't believe this, Soon europe will be arabland.. Europe needs to do something bout it
The UK will remain a hotbed of civil unrest like it has been for the past 4 decades because they haven't fixed the reasons. There remains widespread unemployment, racism, immigrants living on welfare /khayrat in counsel homes in ghettos- in short people are disenfranchised from society. Don't be surprised if it happens again soon!