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| Stephen Lawrence 20th anniversary memorial service held | Stephen Lawrence 20th anniversary memorial service held |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A memorial service is being held to mark the 20th anniversary of the death of Stephen Lawrence. | A memorial service is being held to mark the 20th anniversary of the death of Stephen Lawrence. |
| The 18-year-old aspiring architect was murdered in a racist attack as he waited for a bus in Eltham, south east London, on 22 April 1993. | The 18-year-old aspiring architect was murdered in a racist attack as he waited for a bus in Eltham, south east London, on 22 April 1993. |
| The memorial service is taking place at St Martin-in-the-Fields, near Trafalgar Square, in central London. | The memorial service is taking place at St Martin-in-the-Fields, near Trafalgar Square, in central London. |
| Earlier, London's police chief Bernard Hogan-Howe vowed to prosecute all of those involved in the killing. | Earlier, London's police chief Bernard Hogan-Howe vowed to prosecute all of those involved in the killing. |
| Stephen Lawrence's mother, Doreen, was being joined at the event by relatives, friends and senior political figures including Prime Minister David Cameron, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, Labour Party Leader Ed Miliband and London Mayor Boris Johnson. | |
| A number of supporters of The Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust, which she set up to help young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, are also attending. | A number of supporters of The Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust, which she set up to help young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, are also attending. |
| 'Quite low' | 'Quite low' |
| Attendees of the service were expected to include singer Beverley Knight, who wrote a song to mark the 10th anniversary of Stephen's death. | Attendees of the service were expected to include singer Beverley Knight, who wrote a song to mark the 10th anniversary of Stephen's death. |
| The theme of the service is "building for the future". | The theme of the service is "building for the future". |
| Ahead of the service, Mrs Lawrence said she was uncertain how she would feel. | Ahead of the service, Mrs Lawrence said she was uncertain how she would feel. |
| "On the day you can't plan how you're feeling, it's just something that happens," she said. | "On the day you can't plan how you're feeling, it's just something that happens," she said. |
| "My low point has already started so presumably I will feel quite low." | "My low point has already started so presumably I will feel quite low." |
| Stephen's father Neville has chosen to remember his son privately in Jamaica, taking flowers to his grave and saying a prayer with a friend who is a pastor. | Stephen's father Neville has chosen to remember his son privately in Jamaica, taking flowers to his grave and saying a prayer with a friend who is a pastor. |
| Earlier, London's police commissioner vowed the Metropolitan Police would catch all of those involved in Stephen Lawrence's murder. | Earlier, London's police commissioner vowed the Metropolitan Police would catch all of those involved in Stephen Lawrence's murder. |
| Two men, Gary Dobson, 37, and David Norris, 36, were jailed for life after last year being found guilty of the attack. | Two men, Gary Dobson, 37, and David Norris, 36, were jailed for life after last year being found guilty of the attack. |
| Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, who attended the service, said it had taken "too long" to convict the pair. | |
| "After taking too long, we did get convictions in two cases last year, and what we're going to do is catch the other people involved," Sir Bernard said. | "After taking too long, we did get convictions in two cases last year, and what we're going to do is catch the other people involved," Sir Bernard said. |
| The investigation was initially mired in allegations of police incompetence and institutional racism. | The investigation was initially mired in allegations of police incompetence and institutional racism. |
| Labour MP Diane Abbott said years of effort from Stephen Lawrence's mother and many others, had changed attitudes towards racism and policing. | |
| "It was well known in the black community, and amongst activists, that there was an issue about institutional racism in the police force," she said. | |
| "The great thing about the Stephen Lawrence campaign and above all the courage of Doreen Lawrence was that it made the wider society understand things that only a small group of people had understood before." | |
| Sir Bernard said the police had "improved greatly" in the years since the murder, and that there were now around 3,000 black and ethnic minority officers in the Met. | Sir Bernard said the police had "improved greatly" in the years since the murder, and that there were now around 3,000 black and ethnic minority officers in the Met. |