Vigil held in Bournemouth calling for release of Hamas hostages

The silent vigil took place by Bournemouth Pier Approach on December 28, as dozens of people stood in solidarity.

Rosalind Schogger, one of the organisers of the event, said the day’s action was specifically about the Israeli hostages who were taken from peaceful parties or ‘snatched from their beds’ in the night.

“We have a Jewish community here who are seeing these demonstrations happening each Saturday,” said Rosalind.

She added: “Everyone in the Jewish community wakes up each day and checks what is happening in Israel, checks if their friends and family are okay.”

Rosalind said the vigil is important not only to educate people in Bournemouth but to also show their support for the Jewish community.

The crowd sang together and members of the group gave speeches. 

Erika and Martin Lindsay, who have lived in the town for three years, said they attended the event to ‘support the return of the hostages’.

“We are here to inform people about what this is all about because there has not been much information put out there,” said Erika.

“The Jewish community have to be aware of their own security but we felt now was a good time.”

Martin added: “We cannot begin to know what these people are going through and more should be done by the public.

“Everything is London-based and it is about bringing it to people’s attention.

“Just please don’t forget about the hostages.”

Anne Simons and Sima Wilkins added that some of the hostages that were taken were celebrating at an international peace party and working to bring peace to Gaza.

Alice Malka, from Charminster, said she came to the vigil to bring attention to the ‘innocent civilians’ who have been kidnapped.

She held a poster showing an 88-year-old man and said he is one of the hostages, along with young children.

“What is he going to do, or a ten-month-old baby going to do,” she said.

“I understand soldiers, but these are innocent civilians.”

Alice said she is advocating for the issue to be treated as it would be if it happened in the UK.”

She believes it is important to spread the message locally, as well as nationally: “I can not go to the capital, I live here.

“We want them home, bring them home.”

The Israeli government has vowed to destroy Hamas and bring back more than 100 hostages who are still held by the militants after their October 7 attack on southern Israel, in which some 1,200 people were killed.

However, the war has so far killed more than 20,000 Palestinians.