Slough residents gathered in the High Street to pay their respects to the victims of the horrific terror attacks in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday.
Led by mayor Paul Singh Sohal, speeches were made by Slough Borough Council leader James Swindlehurst, councillors Sabia Hussain and Preston Brooker, faith leaders from the Muslim and Hindu communities and Dawinderpal Singh on behalf of the Sikh community and charity Nishkam SWAT, at the vigil.
Mr Singh said: “The attackers were roundly condemned by all, and Muslim speakers stated that they felt kinship with the Christian victims, rather than the fanatical attackers.
“Prayers were also cited by Sikh and Hindu community representatives. Attendees then went to the mosque on Stoke Road to share food, reflect and bond in defiance of this heinous act.”
Multiple suicide bombings took place across Sri Lanka on April 21, with three of the six explosions going off in churches conducting Easter services in Colombo, Negombo and Batticaloa.
The death toll is well into the hundreds, with a number of British nationals among them.
In his speech, Mr Singh said people should not be persecuted for their religious beliefs, especially in a multicultural town like Slough, adding that the charity he volunteers for, Nishkam SWAT, “serves people indiscriminately in Slough, regardless of their beliefs”.
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