Council-supported ‘skate for Palestine’ event held in Dalston

Both young and old in Dalston were entertained by skateboarders skating for Palestine on Sunday, the sun shining on the council-supported event.

The fourth annual fundraiser, held at Gillett Square and sponsored by Hackney Council, also featured DJs and food stalls, to raise money for a new community skate-park in the Palestinian village of Jayyous in the West Bank.

Organisers said: “Half of the population of Jayyous are under 25. There are currently no safe places for young people to play and engage with each other. The only playground has been run down and completely unusable for years. After studying, children mostly spend their days hanging out in the streets to pass the time.”

SkatePal, which also holds events in other British cities, including Norwich, has teamed up with a Palestinian skating charity to build skate-parks for children in the West Bank and Gaza. Sunday’s event went ahead without incident.