Around 200 people gathered at Leicester’s Clock tower on Wednesday night for a vigil to protest against military action in Syria.
The vigil, which was organised by Leicester Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament coincided with the Commons debate, which saw MPs at Westminster vote in favour for airstrikes in Syria against Islamic State.
The arguments for and against the military action has split the House of Commons, and opinion from people in Leicester.
Many people attending the protest carried placards and used loud hailers to address passers-by.
Speaking to Pukaar News, Daniel Ashman, a community activist in Leicester said: “I’m here because in Parliament they are debating whether to bomb Syria, and as far as I’m concerned its about a failed foreign policy, one which has killed so many innocent people already, its intensified the likelihood of radicalisation of young people in this country and around Europe and indeed around the world, and many many many innocent people have died, and we have to find a different way, a better way in which we can actually create peace”
Another community activist, Andrea Warner who helped organise the Vigil said: “This protest is important because it will raise awareness, a lot of people don’t know what’s going on, a lot of people are ignorant to the fact that bombing Syria is going to kill a lot of innocent people”.
