Hundreds of protesters took to the street in Bournemouth following the tragic death of 13-year-old Mehmet Altun.
On August 19 Mehmet died following an overdose after consuming illegal substances, leaving his family and community devastated.
Calling on more to be done by authorities to protect children, the Bournemouth Alevi Cultural Centre and Cemevi and British Alevi Federation organised a protest on Sunday.
In a statement, they said: “Mehmet was an innocent child, whose future life was taken from him. Its not just the drug barons that are responsible for his death, all us adults, the police force, schools, the local authorities and the government are all just as responsible.
“Today, we aim to raise awareness regarding the dangers of deadly drugs and illegal substances. We are calling on the Dorset Police, local authorities, elected representatives and the community to support us in our fight to tackle the supply of illegal drugs.
“This is not a problem faced only by Bournemouth. Across the UK and all around the world, communities have lost young members to drugs. We are working hard to keep gangs and drugs out of our communities. But this is not a fight we can win alone!
“We are fully aware that there is financial gain from drugs, for certain groups. However, we are here to say that no amount of money will replace the young people that we have lost to drugs.
“Poverty, limited education and social marginalisation remain major factors increasing the risk of drug use disorders. Vulnerable and marginalised groups face barriers to getting treatment due to discrimination and stigma. The UK Government must urgently invest in social services and public services which will raise awareness on this important issue. The youth of the UK must have access to free youth services that will keep them away from drugs and drugs away from them.
Furthermore, the UK Government must urgently invest in policing and enforcement to ensure community safety and security are protected…”
