Hawzah News Agency (London, UK) – More than 55,000 people have signed a petition calling on the London mayor to install a statue of murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence in Trafalgar Square.

Islamophobia monitoring group Tell Mama launched the online petition on Monday asking Sadiq Khan for the memorial to show 'the UK is standing strong against hatred'.

Stephen Lawrence was murdered in a racially motivated attack while waiting for a bus in Eltham, South East London, in April 1993.

Iman Atta, director of Islamophobia monitoring group Tell Mama, who launched the petition said: 'It has been 25 years since Stephen's death - but the hatred and violence towards people like Stephen have not subsided.

'To this day, far-right groups are marching in great numbers in Whitehall and agitating in the heart of our democracy - with the aim of causing fear and violence.

'His case shook the UK - and hate crime today is still shaking people's lives. The course for justice is still unclear - even in Stephen's case only two killers have been convicted.

'That's why it still matters and it's why I'm calling on the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan to have a statue of Stephen Lawrence in Trafalgar Square - so that we never forget the plight of Stephen and that of all those who have been persecuted in the UK.

'Far right groups are attempting to attach their values to being British and we need to send a message that being British is about coming together against extremism and valuing others.

'That is who we fought and defeated in the Second World War and we need to ideologically mobilize now against hate. This statue would prove, as a symbol, that the UK is standing strong against hatred.'

Five suspects were arrested after the 1993 attack but not convicted due a lack of evidence.

Gary Dobson and David Norris were convicted of his murder in 2012 after new evidence came to light.

The petition already has 57,170 signatures. Saqid Khan has been approached for comment.

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