Speaker of Hackney hosts musical memorial concert for coronavirus victims

An online concert to remember those who have lost their lives in the Covid-19 pandemic is being hosted by the Speaker of Hackney tomorrow night.

Kam Adams in the Speaker's Parlour. Picture: Emma Bartholomew - Credit: Emma Bartholomew

Drummer Abass Dodoo will be performing at the hour-long Zoom event, which will also mark the tragic murder of George Floyd, an African American man who was killed by police during an arrest in Minnesota, sparking global Black Lives Matter protests globally.

The Speaker of Hackney, Kam Adams, told the Gazette: “First of all, for the coronavirus victims, it’s very moving that in Hackney we have lost a lot of people. We were the third worst hit borough in London after Newham and Brent.

“We see them as more than statistics. They are people with loved ones, and most of them were unable to pay their respects at a burial ceremony.

“The reason we are connecting it with the Black Lives Matter movement, is that many of the people who died of coronavirus are BAME, and most of them were disproportionately affected. They reckon that is because of the social inequality.”

Mayor of Hackney, Philip Glanville, and winner of the BBC talent show The Voice, Jermain Jackman, will also speak at the event which starts at 6pm tomorrow.

Because the town hall is closed due to the pandemic, everyone will log in from their homes.

Access the event on Zoom here: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88094112518.