Deaths hit anti-violence message

Demonstrators brought parts of central London to a standstill with a noisy and colourful procession accompanied by pounding marching bands.

Among them were relatives of murdered youngsters, who called for a stop to the violence that has already claimed the lives of 16 teenagers in the capital this year.

But their upbeat message of hope for the future was overshadowed by a series of fatal stabbings in the early hours of this morning.

Three men - two of them aged 19 and 23 and the third of unknown age - died in Doncaster, Sheffield and Carmarthenshire in west Wales. A man in his 20s is also in hospital after suffering "puncture wounds" to his back in Islington, north London.

After assembling in Trafalgar Square the demonstrators marched down Whitehall to Westminster and on to a rally at Kennington Park in south London.

Many carried placards with the slogan "LIVE", or "Living Intentionally Versus Existing", to reflect their message that young people need direction and purpose in their lives.

Anti-gun campaigner Pat Regan was originally due to speak at the event but she was herself tragically stabbed to death last Sunday.

The rally was addressed by the father of 15-year-old schoolboy Kiyan Prince, who was murdered outside his north-west London school in May 2006.

Mark Prince spoke of the "void" that his son's death had left in his heart but revealed that he has forgiven his killer thanks to his faith in God.