Families unite for antiviolence vigil
About 100 people went to Victoria Park last night to remember those lost to violence in Bermuda.
The Break The Silence vigil was organised as a way to bring people together and remember the victims of violence.
Antonio Belvedere, executive chef at The Terrace on Hamilton’s Front Street, said he put the event together after his friend, Taylor Grier, was shot dead on July 30.
He said: “If we don’t speak up, we are condoning it. We need to start getting the word out there.
“It is not really snitching when it will bring peace to the country and give a family peace.
“There are families out there who don’t know who did what and they will never have closure.
“I hope that through this event, people can find peace within themselves and within their households and try to better their lives.”
At the centre of the event were rows of crosses bearing the names of the 50 people who have been murdered in Bermuda since 2003.
Those names were also read aloud, together with when they were killed.
Mr Belvedere, 31, told the crowd that everyone on the island has been affected by violence in one way or another.
He said: “We all know somebody, are related to somebody, have seen somebody, have worked with somebody.
“As a community, we need to come together and stand strong.”
Wayne Caines, the Minister of National Security, said Bermudians must remember the real cost of the violence the island has suffered.
Mr Caines said: “We are a part of this community. We feel the suffering and we feel the pain, and we think it’s important to stress that as a community, we can do this together.
“This is a part of our journey, but this is only a part of a journey.
“It has to provoke us. It has to move us, it has to catapult us towards action.”
He said there are opportunities available for those who want to help make a difference.
Mr Caines said: “Find someone you can mentor. Find a young man or a young woman that you can give guidance to.
“There are so many civic organisations in this country that your voice, your energy, your passion can be heard.
“This is an opportunity for us to rise up as a community. To show that we are intolerant to violence.”
Spectators lit candles after the sun set, with several placing their candles near the crosses as Lynwood “Brotha Richie” Richardson of Soul Food Promotions played music.
