Chanelle Laoudi
Peaceful protestors gathered for a moment of silence by the Haymarket Clock in Leicester last Friday, October 3.
Rabiha Hannan, Vice-President of The Islamic Society of Britain, led the demonstration that began at 5.30pm to support the campaign for the release of hostages held in Syria.
Later that day Youtube broadcasted the video of an extremist threatening to kill Alan Henning, one of the hostages it was hoped would be released.
Once Mrs Hannan saw the footage she then posted online: “Struggling to sleep; both devastated and angry at the taking of the life of a man who left the comfort of his home to help those in need.
“My thoughts and prayers are with the family of a hero.”
The hostage Alan Henning, a 47-year-old taxi driver from Salford Greater Manchester, was an aid support worker alongside fellow volunteer Majid Freeman when they both got captured in December.
The abductors inspected the men’s phones and passports to check if they were spies followed by them being questioned separately.
The pair was later put into temporary detention, with 26-year-old Majid Freeman later being freed.
Mr Freeman said: “With Alan being an aid worker you would think that they would’ve released him, however that wasn’t the case.”
With the media labelling the abductors as Islamic state militants, the protestors were fearful of people judging all followers of the Islamic religion as extremists.
“Simple education is the solution,” he added.
Mrs Hannan added: “This (the murder of men) is not in our name and faith.
“Islam should instil peace, love and mercy in people.”
