Leeds has taken part in a worldwide vigil in memory of students killed in a terrorist attack at a Kenyan university.

The memorial service was organised by the University’s East African Society to remember the 148 victims who died in an attack at Garissa University College earlier this month.

Around thirty people gathered in the Union foyer on Tuesday. They lit candles, brought flowers and wrote messages for their fellow students who fell victim to the massacre.

President of Leeds University’s East African Society George Ng’ayu told The Gryphon, ‘Today’s event was a planned response with several other societies in different universities across England, Canada, the United States and South Africa.’

‘We teamed up with the universities of Manchester, Warwick, Anglia Ruskin, Alberta, Chicago, Pretoria and others to have this vigil today or by the end of this week.’

Students were targeted when Islamist militants from al-Shabaab opened fire on dormitories in the early hours of the morning on 2nd April. The group is the youth wing of a now defunct Somali terrorist organisation with links to Al-Qaeda.

It was the deadliest attack since 1998, when more than 200 people were killed at the U.S. Embassy in Kenya.

Kenyan police have come under scrutiny as commandos took seven hours to arrive after the attack began.

The East African Society also organised the Tribal Instinct V Charity Fashion Show in March, which raised £4,500 in aid of Kenyan charities to protect children and wildlife conservation.

Valeria Popa

Image courtesy of Valeria Popa