Vigil and Die-In: Homerton High Street, London

Vigil and Die-In: Homerton High Street, E9

Akis Kollaros (bottom centre), a music producer, shown here with the Monument band, was killed on Homerton High Street on Monday 2 February 2015.

On Monday, 9th February 2015, approximately 300 people joined the vigil and die-in in memory of Akis Kollaros, at the place where he was struck and killed by a person driving an HGV the previous Monday.

Akis was the 14th person killed whilst cycling in the UK in 2015.

Our deepest condolences go to Akis’ family and friends.


Event Listing: On website; and On Facebook

Thank Yous

Media Coverage - After the Event

Media Coverage - Before the Event

Video Reports and Interviews

Speeches

Pictures

 


Thank Yous

From Steven Routley, co-founder Stop Killing Cyclists…

A great event tonight. The contributions were thoughtful and moving, and the short die-in hopefully helped bring the message home to onlookers both physically there and who will see pictures in the press. A big thanks to the guy who loaned the sound system, the police for handling it so well, the people who brought candles, and to everyone who came along.

Ride In Peace. x

Media Coverage - After the Vigil

London Evening Standard:

Greek Reporter:

Road.cc:

Mashable:

Media Coverage - Before the Vigil

Hackney Gazette:

Hackney Hive:

London Evening Standard:

Road.cc:

BBC:

Sputnik News:

Video Reports and Interviews

YouTube: Toby Smith - 3rd of February 2015 – 4:10pm – Akis Kollaros

YouTube: Velo London - Homerton High Street Die-In

YouTube: GangTheBand - DRIVER -THE GANG- making of

The “making of Driver” as I saw it from the lenses of my own camera. In the loving memory of Akis Kollaros (+2015), a remarkable person, a great friend and an excellent producer…

Speeches

Family of Akis Sollaros

“Deeply shocked and devastated by Akis’ death and at the same time receiving love from Akis’ friends all around the world, we would like to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your support through these rough times we are going through.

We would like also to warmly thank each and every one of you who have contributed to the funding set up by Akis’ friends for raising the money for Akis’ repatriation and funeral. We will further inform you about the details of his funeral as soon as possible through social media.
We do hope and pray that Akis will be the last cyclist to die in the streets by these horrific kind of accidents. Please always remember Akis and always pray for him.

Thank you for all your support through these hard times we are going through. The love we are receiving from all around the world these hard times give us strength. Thank-you from the bottom of our hearts.

Akis Parents & the Family”

Tom Kearney…
Words spoken at a Stop Killing Cyclists Vigil & Die-In in Memory of Akis Kollaros - 9 Feb 2015

Ritch Shaw
Akis was a really good guy and a mentor to me. I can’t make it due to work commitments on a career path he was vital to. If you could read out the follow I would really appreciate it.

“About a year and a half ago I was getting sick of working on a bar. I was speaking to the sound engineer where I worked and telling him about what I did at uni and asking him about how he got into it. He said to me that if I wanted to I could start shadowing him and refresh on what I had forgotten. (which was a lot) so a couple of times a month I would go to work on my day off and he would supervise me whilst I did the sound for the bands. sometime he was patient sometimes I would get my hands slapped (literally) but I always learnt something that I didn’t know before. he spent a lot of time making I knew what I needed to know. until he started hiring me on a freelance basis, doing the sound by myself. After a while I left for a regular gig at another venue, but still got the occasional text offering me a job here and there. I owe you so much dude, you will be sorely missed by all who knew you knowledgeable and passionate about the work you did. I wish I could have made it today. I’ll be thinking of you every time I’m staring down at a mixing desk. Thanks for everything.”

Thanks Rich

Mihalis Mazis

When we met with Akis we had no facial hair yet, but lots in the head… We used to meet with other guys in the neighbourhood in a garage of a common friend named Paul, where we’d jammed some tunes resembling Black Sabbath, Metallica or Led Zeppelin, those days you know… it would be around ’95 or ’96 so we would be around 15, 16 years old.

Akis was already playing better guitar than all the rest of us.
One day I was jamming at that place with a band we had with some friends, called Solitaire. All of a sudden Akis -who was standing and watching the jam- came to me afterwards and his first words to me where “wow, dude you play awesome!” haha
Of course having listened to the guy playing before, this came as a great compliment to me.

Always inspiring people to go on, always…

Well I did go on and to this day that I am much more involved with music, I still owe to my friend loads and loads of inspiration, good times, jams, profound talks and good laughs.

To imagine, one of my first gigs on stage apart from high school performances must have been with Akis.
When we were around 18, we would fill his dad’s car with amps and guitars and altogether (with his dad and friends) we would follow along every gig that Akis did in Athens. He was the first of us to play on stage as well and by 19 he had already a respectable name in the field.

After one show at a local pub mainly filled with friends, I remember being quite drunk, and Akis told me and another good friend of his -Fotis- after his show “Hey guys, grab the instruments and let’s play something together!”
That kind of person he was.

He was also the kind of person that we would wait for him to come with excitement!
Christmas was the name day of Akis (his full name is Chris - Christos) and I can’t remember one single Christmas that we weren’t expecting our friend to come to Athens and meet for the traditional drinks and food at his parents place.

His mom is like a mom to all our friends. There was a standard core of people waiting for Akis every year, our little group of friends. He was like Lion-o transmitting the Thundercats signal! No one was missing.
Now he will be the one that we will miss and nothing can replace that in our hearts.
We just hope and continue to live and try through his example of life become better people and excel in every effort we do, just like him.

So here’s to you my dearest friend. You won’t be forgotten.
Your parents suddenly have hundreds of sons and daughters, praying for you tonight.
May your soul be enlightened and who knows, maybe we will meet again

Your dear friend
Michael

Pictures

Brian Cantwell…

Tom Kearney…

Ruth-Anna Macqueen…

David Rowlands…

One thought on “Vigil and Die-In: Homerton High Street, London”

  1. Vehicle operated by Georeg Dugdale National Operators Licence. Note from A&D fortnightly record that he had applied for change from parnership to sole trader and reduction of fleet size to 10 vehicles at new base in E London in November 2014, but no record that this was approved by Traffic Commissioner. Operator registered at Dugdale Wharf nr Catford S London.

    As provider of the vehicle and driver can we be assured that due diligence was in place to ensure all compliance issues were met?

    Slightly concerned to note that a process which is usually completed in 4-6 weeks, seems to remain outstanding.

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