Residents in Cardiff united today for a silent protest against dangerous driving – following the tragic death of 12-year-old Hamid Khan.
Members of the community lined Ninian Park Road, in Riverside, between 3 and 4pm in a bid to slow traffic and raise awareness of the dangers of speeding.
Hamid Ali Khan, from Riverside, died after being hit by a white Audi on Ninian Park Road on February 27.
Hamid, who was a keen footballer and supported Cardiff City, was walking home from Fitzalan High School when the accident occurred.
The idea for a silent protest was formed during a Riverside PACT meeting on March 3. Labour councillors Iona Gordon and Darren Williams and the police held discussions with worried residents, who demanded immediate action.
Collectively, the group called for speed bumps and speed cameras – along with the silent protest.
Coun Gordon said: “We are taking this opportunity to ask the cars to slow down. It is a protest against dangerous driving.”
“I have contacted all the taxi firms and coach companies in Cardiff asking for anyone driving between three and four pm to slow down to 20 mph.”
“I know the mosque have all had letters asking for them to attend, and I hope the whole community will be there.”
Former Riverside councillor Mohammed S Islam has been critical of the protest.
The former Plaid Cymru councillor said: “I only live around the corner from Ninian Park Road with my daughter. We are all really upset about the protest taking place here.
“The protest should be taking place outside County Hall. They should not be protesting outside a school, and they should just leave our to children get over this.
“We just want to be left in peace and allowed to grieve.”
The protest is being staged on Ninian Park Road, near Kitchener Primary School , which Hamid previously attended. PC Emma Coombes and PCSO Rachel Lee gave a talk about road safety at the school to all students this morning.
PC Emma and PC Sarah talk to us in Kitchener about #roadsafety pic.twitter.com/9uQlyMal26
— Kitchener Primary (@KitchenerPS) March 20, 2015
Samantha Shaw, 46, of Riverside, said: “It is not the first time we have had this happen and we have been having incidents like this for 25 years.”
“My oldest child is 26 and my youngest is six. I have been part of this community for a long time. My daughter was knocked down on Ninian Park Road when she was 11 and we have been trying for many years to highlight that the road is dangerous.
“We have got permission from Hamid’s family and the mosque has been informed. We are expecting a minimum of 100 people but hope there will be more.”
Regarding Mr Islam’s objections, Ms Shaw said: “He has turned it [the protest] into a points scoring issue. All we are trying to do is ensure a tragedy like this never happens again.”
