On Saturday 4 October 2025, in Bradford’s Centenary Square, a modest yet determined gathering came together while Storm Amy swept across the country. More than a dozen people, more than one might expect, given the dreary forecast and heavy rain assembled to read aloud the names of Palestinian children killed since October 2023. The rain didn’t stop them. Umbrellas shook in the wind, papers got wet, but voices carried reading aloud the names of Palestinian children killed in Gaza.
The event, called Know Their Names, was organised by Friends of Al-Aqsa and partner groups as part of a nationwide day of remembrance held across 24 UK cities. Each person who came took a turn to say the names of children who have lost their lives one by one, name by name since Israel’s war on Gaza began in October 2023.
The United Nations has called what is happening in Gaza a genocide. More than 50,000 children reportedly killed or injured in the Gaza Strip. Behind each name is a child who once played, dreamed, and belonged to a family that still waits for justice.
Yet even in heavy rain, the people of Bradford stood together. For them, it wasn’t about numbers, it was about humanity.
“They are our children”
Yusuf Collector, one of the attendees, stood with his young grandson as he read from a long list of names.
“What we go through for a few minutes in this weather is nothing compared to what people in Gaza face every day,” he said. “It’s unbelievable that in 2025, children are dying and the world still hasn’t done anything real to stop it.”
His voice softened when he spoke about the names he read. “Some were just a few months old. Some were 2, 3, 10, or 16. It really hurts. We’re lucky to have safety here they don’t. These are not just Palestinian children; they are our children.”
He added that Muslims believe the community is like one body, if one part hurts, the whole body feels the pain. “We must never forget them,” he said. “We have to keep saying their names.”
“We will never forget them”
Lina, a local activist and one of the readers at the event, spoke with passion, sorrow, and a slight wobble in her voice. The emotion was unmistakable. “Even with this storm, even when it’s freezing we come because they deserve to be remembered,” she said. “We will never forget them.”
Her words carried both faith and heartbreak. “We know those children are in Jannah, they are birds in paradise but that doesn’t free the world from responsibility. The world has allowed this to go on for two years. That’s not acceptable.”
“Unity matters more than ever”
Among the crowd was Shaheen, an NHS worker, mother and grandmother. She said she came because no weather should stop people from standing for justice. “Today, I read the names of children who lost their lives. It breaks your heart,” she said.
Her message was simple but powerful: “We need unity. No matter your faith, background or beliefs we must not let anyone divide us. Let’s come together for what’s right.”
Remembering together
For Robina, one of the event’s organisers and part of Bradford Friends of Palestine, this day was about both remembrance and awareness. She and the team had been there since eight in the morning, standing through the storm with freezing hands and soaked clothes.
“Two years on, Palestinians still see that people here care,” she said. “They see it on social media, and it means something. But we also want to reach more people who haven’t yet joined the movement, who think they can’t do anything. This is how we start: by showing up, by remembering.”
A moment of courage
The event in Bradford took place during a difficult time in the UK. Just days before, a deadly attack on a Manchester synagogue shocked the country, heightening tensions. In response, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood condemned upcoming pro-Palestinian protests, calling them “fundamentally un-British” and “dishonourable,” and urged organisers to pause out of respect for Jewish communities.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer also appealed for restraint. He asked protestors to “respect the grief of British Jews,” while affirming the right to peaceful demonstration but warning against actions that could inflame divisions.
But across the country, events like this one still went ahead. Many said they were separate from the violence, that calling for peace and justice must never be silenced. In Bradford, that belief was made visible; people refused to let fear, rain or politics stop them from standing together.
“We’ll keep saying their names”
As the wind picked up again in Centenary Square, the small crowd tightened their grip on damp pages and umbrellas. The names kept coming one after another until the final few words were almost drowned out by the storm.
When the readings ended, there was no applause. Just silence. A silence filled with grief, faith, and quiet defiance.
In a week when the country has felt tense and divided, the sight in Bradford told a different story, one of endurance and compassion. For those who came, this was not about politics but about people; not about sides but about standing together for humanity.
Even as rain poured and the storm grew stronger, their message stayed the same: the children of Gaza will not be forgotten. Their names will be remembered here, in Bradford, and beyond.
