VIGIL FOR VICTIMS OF WISCONSIN GURDWARA SHOOTINGS

This evening, in Town Hall Square, Leicester Council of Faiths hosts a vigil for the victims and survivors of the shooting at the Gurdwara in Oak Creek Wisconsin, which took place a week ago today. This has been arranged at short notice, without a lot of publicity, but a speedy response seems to have been the most important consideration.

Certainly, word of mouth attracts a decent turnout. At the height of the meeting, which lasts for just over an hour, there are at least 250 people gathered here. The majority are Sikhs, of course, drawn from the seven gurdwaras in Leicester. But there are also many friends, supporters and well-wishers from other faith communities in Leicester as well as observers and sympathisers from no particular belief or tradition. As well as Cllr Manjula Sood, Assistant Mayor and Chair of Leicester Council of Faiths, two other Assistant Mayors are here (Cllr Vi Dempster and Cllr Sarah Russell) and at least two other city councillors.

Representatives of Leicester's Bahá'í, Christian, Hindu, Jewish and Muslim communities spoke at the front of the gathering on the Town Hall steps, where a table was set up with commemorative candles. Jon Ashworth MP (Leicester South) spoke there too. There's no amplification so whatever they say is inaudible from even a few rows back. It's remarkable how loud the fountain in Town Hall Square can be, especially if you're trying to be quiet. But the fact that the speeches and prayers go largely unheard doesn't seem to matter to the crowd. There's a strong atmosphere of mutuality and solidarity, no posturing or rabble rousing. It's all very dignified, friendly and reflective.

I stay at the back, occasionally tweeting and being retweeted by others (e.g. @KaursCorner, @Masjidumar_Leic, @navrupkaur). I take the opportunity at the end to record a quick interview with a young Sikh chap for inclusion in my inter-faith programme on FMO Radio tomorrow morning, which is about how faith communities in Leicester, apart from Muslims, fast. Sikhs don't fast for spiritual purposes, like virtually all other faiths do in some way. Rather than just leave them out of the programme for that reason, I want to include a Sikh talking about why they don't fast. I strike gold with this fellow, who states clearly the reasons why fasting is not part of Sikh belief and practice, but why he himself fasts for reasons of health and fitness. That will make a good end to the programme tomorrow.

Pukaar News has turned out to cover the event: a three-minute video report is on their website. Ambrose Musiyiwa records a number of video interviews and posts these on Civic Leicester's YouTube channel, including interviews with Jon Ashworth MP, Cllr Manjula Sood, Surinderpal Singh Rai (Chair of Guru Tegh Bahadur Gurdwara) and me.