The suspected homophobic attack that led to the death of a man in Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park has shocked the local community to its very core.
The park is a key route in East London which many people walk through each day to get to and from work and school.
The 50-year-old victim was found unresponsive and with a serious injury in the park at about 7am on Monday (August 16). He was pronounced dead at the scene.
A murder investigation was launched and police arrested a 36-year-old man on suspicion of murder on Friday, (August 20).
Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park (THCP) is a unique space in the heart of East London . The woodland cemetery is not only a place for remembrance, but is also a natural sanctuary where wildlife thrives.
The space has been used for festivals, forest schools and field studies, and the team behind the park is dedicated to providing for the local community and honouring the East End’s rich heritage.
Given the ongoing murder investigation, the park has been closed since August 16 and will remain closed until the end of this week, and possibly into next week (Monday, 30).
This has caused concern about the future.
Claire Slack, Heritage Officer at THCP , said the murder in the park has been a shock: “It’s been challenging – we’ve all had to go back to working from home and we’ve had to cancel a lot of events and let a lot of people down, which has been sad.”
Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park is much loved by the local community
(Image: Friends of Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park)
Despite the death presenting a number of challenges for the park, Claire also said it has been encouraging to see the community come together at this difficult time.
“People have been really supportive,” she added. “The amount of people who have messaged and asked if the team are okay or if there’s anything they can do has been absolutely wonderful.
“What’s been interesting to us out of all this is that people have come out to say how safe they feel in the cemetery park and that they’re really shocked about what’s happened.
“It’s not a usual thing for us, we’re usually a really nice welcoming space.”
The park is dedicated to providing for the local community and honouring the East End’s rich heritage
(Image: Friends of Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park)
Claire said that, seeing as the park is a place for remembrance, the THCP team is planning some kind of memorial for the man who sadly died in the park to celebrate his life.
A crowdfunder has been launched to help support the cemetery park after the effects of the Covid-19 lockdown and the more recent closure of the park for the murder investigation.
“Funds are still a little bit tough – we’re still having to bear in mind social distancing,” she explained.
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“In a normal year we’d have 2000 volunteers come through the doors…without them it’s been a real step backwards for the charity as we try and keep things neat and tidy and welcoming.”
Claire and the THCP team would like to encourage the public to get involved with their upcoming events and donate if they can to help support the park.
“Any support the public can give – even a pound makes a huge difference to the work that we can be doing,” said Claire.
You can find more information about Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park and donate here .
Police are urging anyone with information on the investigation to call 0208 345 3865 to be put through to the Incident Room, call 101, or Tweet @MetCC quoting 1277/16.
Those who wish to remain anonymous can call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
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