Displaying items by tag: London

A 14-year-old boy, Daniel Anjorin, was fatally attacked with a sword in Hainault, northeast London, as he was on his way to school. The attacker also injured four others, including two Met Police officers. Marcus Monzo, a 36-year-old Spanish-Brazilian, has been charged with murder, attempted murder, grievous bodily harm, aggravated burglary, and possessing a bladed weapon. He crashed a van into a fence and attacked two civilians with his sword before fatally injuring Daniel and seriously wounding two police officers, one of whom nearly lost her hand. He was later taken to the hospital for injuries sustained in the van crash, and is set to appear at Barkingside magistrates' court. Daniel was a student at Bancroft's School. His family, who are Christians, described him as a 'wonderful child' and expressed profound grief over their loss. The Crown Prosecution Service emphasised the importance of a fair trial, urging restraint in public commentary to avoid prejudicing the proceedings.

London police are set to meet with Jewish leaders following concerns raised by the Jewish community over their safety. The discussions are a response to tensions from pro-Palestinian marches, with reports of some participants expressing extremist views. Metropolitan Police commissioner Mark Rowley, under scrutiny for the force's handling of an incident involving an 'openly Jewish' man, will also confer with mayor Sadiq Khan and home secretary James Cleverly. The police apologised after suggesting the man’s presence could provoke demonstrators, a comment they later retracted, clarifying that being Jewish is not provocative. The Met has been actively deploying officers during these events to balance the rights of protesters with the safety of Jewish residents and counter-demonstrators.

The Met has reported that two bodies have been found in the River Thames, less than a mile apart. A spokesperson stated that investigations are under way to identify the dead men and inform their relatives. The police confirmed that these findings are not related to Abdul Ezedi, a suspect in a Clapham acid attack, who is believed to have jumped into the river on 31 January. The Port of London Authority says that an average of 31 people die in the Thames each year, 90% as a result of suicide. See

A new survey for London City Mission (LCM) reveals that most Christians, particularly those interacting with people from similar social backgrounds, feel confident about sharing their faith. It surveyed 1,007 practising Christians who regularly attend church, read the Bible, and pray. 78% are confident in discussing their faith with non-Christians, 89% see it as important, and 76% wish to do so more frequently. Christians most commonly share their faith with friends (42%), family (42%), and colleagues (37%). However, 30% feel less comfortable discussing faith with those from different social backgrounds, and similar numbers struggle with people of different nationalities (29%) or other faiths (29%). Sharing faith with marginalised groups like the homeless or refugees is challenging for 20%. Hesitations stem from concerns about negative reactions, fear of saying the wrong thing, and respecting others' beliefs. LCM’s Efrem Buckle highlighted the 'gospel poverty' in London, urging action to bridge gaps with deprived communities. To aid this, LCM has introduced 'Everyday Evangelism', a resource hub and podcast, to encourage and guide Christians in broader evangelism.

Less than half of the population across England and Wales call themselves Christian. In a largely secular society, where more than one-third claim no religion at all, Franklin Graham is sharing the hope of Jesus Christ in the God Loves You tour on 26 August in London. This is the culmination of months of prayer, planning, and training to equip the local churches. The event is free to attend and will be held at the ExCel London. With over 900 churches partnering in this outreach, more than 125 buses will bring thousands to London, some coming from several hours away. The Lord has placed a burden on Franklin’s heart to proclaim Jesus Christ across the UK, and that sense of purpose and evangelistic passion has continued to grow over the years.

London's mayor Sadiq Khan is launching a £130m scheme in September to give every primary school pupil free school meals during the 2023-24 academic year. That’s 270,000 children, saving families £440 per child. Mr Khan, who received free school meals himself, said, ‘The cost of living crisis means families are in desperate need of additional support. I have repeatedly urged the government to provide free school meals to help already stretched families, but they have simply failed to act.’ Newham, Islington, Southwark and Tower Hamlets councils will also offer free school meals; last month Westminster City Council also began providing free school meals for primary pupils. Charities and teaching unions have welcomed the plans, but some have urged the Government to step up wider support. The Children's Food Campaign said healthy school food for all must not just be an emergency measure. It should be part of a fully inclusive education system for the long term.

To strengthen international efforts to ensure freedom of religion or belief (FoRB), the government will host an international conference in London on 5 and 6 July. Promoting FoRB is one of the UK’s long-standing human rights priorities. The government remains deeply concerned about the severity and scale of violations and abuses in many parts of the world. Persecuting or discriminating against people for their religion or belief is often linked to other foreign and development policy challenges. The summit will gather politicians and campaigners from over 50 countries to continue to make progress on the issue. This year the organisers are being approached by diplomatic representatives from countries with historically poor records on religious freedom and who aren't part of the alliance, saying they want to come.

On the last day of 2021 two teenagers were murdered in London in the space of an hour, bringing the number of teenage homicides in the capital to 30 - the highest ever recorded. Less than an hour after a teenager was murdered in Croydon, a 16-year-old in Hillingdon died from a puncture wound. Pray for the victims’ next of kin as they begin 2022 without their sons, brothers, nephews. Knife crime offences are rising across the UK, but data shows that London consistently suffers the highest number of knife crime offences per capita of any region. Pray for youth teams, teachers, social workers, churches, charities, police and parents to work together and develop solutions that reduce knife crime. May young people feel secure and protected without the need to carry a knife. See also

Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, is when Jewish people remember the rededication of the second temple in Jerusalem. For eight days Jewish families around the world are lighting a candle-holder called a menorah during Hanukkah. For the first time ever, on 5 December, the final night of the festival, the iconic London Eye will also be lit to symbolise a menorah. The world’s second largest Ferris wheel will be transformed as its 32 observation pods rotate, beaming lights across London. We can pray for the Light of God’s Truth to cut through the darkness in London and stream into our country’s towns and cities, bringing enlightenment and hope.

Activists have begun two weeks of London protests 'targeting the root cause of the climate crisis'. On 24 August protesters lined London streets with placards, waved banners and erected obstacles to disrupt and block roads around Westminster. They blocked off roads, glued themselves to a giant table, and formed a human chain around the area cordoned off by police. Dozens were carried to police vans by officers who used loudspeakers to warn the crowd to leave or risk arrest. At least 10,000 people congregated near the rallies; by 26 August 196 people had been arrested. The group's co-founder gave a speech expressing solidarity with nations disproportionately affected by climate change. Pray for all the police forces to respond appropriately and proportionately to protest activity in the next fortnight, and for a workable policing plan.