A solemn day for Holocaust Memorial Day 2024 in Romford.

Autistic Conservative Charlie Keeble attended this year’s Holocaust Memorial Day at Coronation Gardens in Romford.

It was a windy and cold day for this memorial event on Sunday 21January 2024. I stood and watched the event as a sombre atmosphere was here in the presence of dignitaries from Havering Council and the Romford MP’s office. 

The speakers in attendance were Romford MP Andrew Rosindell, Mayor of Havering Councillor Stephanie Nunn, Councillor Ray Morgan, Vera Schaufeld MBE and a representative from the Romford Synagogue speaking on behalf of Rabbi Lee Sunderland. Afterwards I went to the synagogue for a reception where there was a good warm cosy atmosphere, and Rabbi Lee gave a speech about this year’s theme and was thankful for people attending. I was telling stories about the effect of the Holocaust on the disabled people in Europe and how much I admire the Jews for their timeless resilience. 

The theme of this year is ‘Fragility of Freedom’ and I believe that freedom to be a sacred thing to be defended for the survival of classes of citizens. The trouble for the Jews and indeed disabled people started when freedom was severely restricted by political activists masking their hatred with good intentions. As an autistic man I tend to feel less free in societywhen I am made to feel inferior or a hideous creature that should not be seen in public. I have to admire the Jews for making disabled people feel wanted in society and even given opportunities to stand and up and fight for freedom and ensure my survival. 

Last week (14 January) I was at the Stand with Israel Rally in Trafalgar Square speaking up in defence of the Jews in Britain and marking 100 days of the hostages held captive by Hamasafter they launched a bloody assault on Israel and massacred over 1200 people. I also declared on social media to the IDF’s Special in Uniform soldiers to bring the hostages home and defend Israel for the safety and survival of their people. 

I laid a candle as a standard bearer for the disabled people who were killed in the Holocaust. As part of my own objectives for autism advocacy I tell stories about the way the disabled were used as experimental test subjects by the Nazis.Like when they were used as guinea pigs for the gas chambers in the extermination camps. They even denied the freedom to reproduce with mass sterilisations, and even forced parents to give up disabled children where they were segregated in places where they would be left to die. Resisting eugenics is my byword and I will continue to preach the message that disabled people are not useless burdens to be eliminated. They are bright lights shining good ideas upon the world.

Mayor of Havering, Councillor Stephanie Nunn, said:

“The service provides the opportunity for Havering to reflect on those who lost their lives and those who survived, the terrible events of the Holocaust and other atrocities.

“Holocaust Memorial Day should act as a solemn reminder that we must never forget these atrocities and that we all have a part to play to ensure freedom endures and that persecution and division should never prevail.

“We all have a responsibility to end discrimination and work together for a safer, better, future for everyone.”

Also present was Havering’s Leader of the Council, Councillor Ray Morgon and Deputy Lieutenant for Havering Mike Brace CBE.

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