By Ruth Halkon, Reporter

More than 200 people from all parts of London held a vigil last night to show solidarity with Barnet’s Somali community.

During the vigil, organised by Unite Against Fascism, politicians including Greater London Authority Member Andrew Dismore, Barnet Borough Councillors, union representatives, members of the Somali community and neighbours of the centre, gave speeches about their shock at the destruction of the Somali Bravanese Community Centre and pledged to support the Somali community in its hour of need.

Standing near the burnt-out wreckage of the centre in Coppetts Road, centre manager Abukakar Ali, who had been woken at 4am by a knock at the door on the night of the fire, described how “shocked” he was at the scale of the damaged, adding he had expected a small fire but the centre had been “on the ground” when he arrived.

He said how “happy “ he was the vigil had been organised, especially at such short notice, and thanked Barnet Council, local organisations and members of the public for their support.

He added: “We are united. The number of people here today shows we belong to the multi-faith community here, we are no different. We need to work to try and rebuild and continue as normal. We’re one community and will stay one community together.”

Greater London Authority Member Andrew Dismore said how impressed he was by the “dignified response” of the Somali community.

He added he had been at the centre shortly before the fire and had been impressed by its “joyous” atmosphere.

He said: “Now it’s been destroyed. We don’t know who did it or why. But that’s not the issue. The issue here is to show solidarity with the Somali community in its hour of need.”

Conservative councillor for Coppetts Ward Kate Sallinger also expressed her solidarity with the Somali community.

She said: “I’m horrified. No one in Barnet wants stuff like this to happen.

“We will rebuild the centre. It will rise bigger and better than it was before it burnt down. The perpetrators won’t win, we will win.”

MP for Chipping Barnet Theresa Villiers, who was in the crowd to show her support but did not give a speech, said how important it was to rebuild the centre.

She added: “I was very sad to hear this had happened. Barnet is a very diverse community with all sorts of faith groups which live together harmoniously. People are here because they are anxious to show they won’t be bullied, that an attack on the Somali community is an attack on the whole of Barnet.”

Student Muna Ally, 21, who used the centre as a child, said how the fire at the community centre had “brought us all together.”

She added: “I learned the Koran here, I learnt responsibility and how to behave towards other people. It’s heartbreaking this has happened. This place was a family. It encapsulated my childhood and now that’s been taken away.

“But we will come together and rebuild.”

Source: Hendon & Finchley Times