Over 200 People Hold Vigil for Peace

Photos and story
James Allardice
Mirror staff writer

   On Monday, December 17, over 200 people gathered at Saint Anne’s Catholic Church in Santa Monica and marched to Douglas Park as part of a vigil for peace.
   Present at the vigil were members of the City Council, Police Chief James T. Butts, Jr., Santa Monica Malibu Unified School District Superindent John Deasy and other community leaders.
   Before the marchers left for Douglas Park, Oscar de la Torre, director of the Pico Youth and Family Center, told the crowd gathered at Saint Anne’s, “We are a community united to stop youth violence.”
   Deasy told the crowd, “It’s not okay for a young person to die from violence. We are going to stand vigil tonight to remember the young people who have died from violence during the last few years. We’re going to walk vigilantly with you symbolically and literally.”
   Carrying tall, slender candles, the marchers walked from Saint Anne’s to Douglas Park. After hearing from several other speakers, they returned to Saint Anne’s.