“The Faces Seemed Weary of Battle...”

An anonymously submitted poetic account of the March 1st Launch of the Justice for Alwy Campaign Against Police Brutality



Many helping hands sought to form a collective union for a revolutionary cause.
Some might have called the affair a lost cause: a voice muffled out in the sound proof booth that is censorship by the media; a candlelight dwindling in a breeze of ignorance on a topic that widely affects the general public.

But on Saturday, March 1st, in Regent Park, I saw a gathering of many determined people, wearing nothing but sheer dedication as their shield and sword. All the faces seemed weary from battle, baring many symbolic scars, etched and engraved within their facial expressions.
But the ambience was unnatural, as if everyone’s hearts were beating in unison for Alwy Al Nadhir. Many people tore out a piece of their hearts inscribed with a few heartfelt words to share with their fellow masses.

Many friends and family members enlightened us on the issue at hand. We peered into the looking glass of these people’s day-to-day lives, and how this specific controversial situation is affecting them and has them searching for a greater sense of justice. What is being sought is not an apology, not a thorough detailed inquiry on the topic, but to set a precedent for future cases, to assist and aid other such unfortunate cases.

The launch of the Justice for Alwy campaign on March 1st was not meant for us to just hear an all-star cast filtering a burden too big for us to bear alone. It was not meant for us to acknowledge and applaud those courageous enough to battle stage fright. It was meant for us to unify and form a movement that correlates with everyone’s one true aspiration: Justice for Alwy Al-Nadhir.

On March 15th, when we rally outside police headquarters, we will signify the unification and the mobilization of these people. Actions do speak louder than words.

I would like to give honorable mention to one of the speakers. Ali, Alwy’s cousin, had a few words to say, with each word he uttered coursing through our veins and bodies, entering the depths and corridors of our minds, with his deep concentration and thought given to each word.
I for one bore witness to a surge of commitment and passion amongst each individual that was lucky enough to take part in that affair. ∗