Hundreds of people have marched through north London to the place where 16-year-old Ben Kinsella was stabbed to death to protest against knife crime.

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Rising exam bill 'is inefficient' ... Protestors wore T-shirts with Ben's picture and slogans "RIP Ben", "Stop Knife Violence", "You're Always in Our Hearts" and "18?" printed on them.

Ben was attacked during a row in York Way, Holloway, on Sunday. He died of multiple stab wounds to the torso.

Four youths have been arrested on suspicion of the murder.

Ben, who died hours after the attack, is the 17th teenager killed on London's streets this year.

'No knives'

Ben's three sisters joined the march wearing T-shirts showing pictures of Ben as a child and a teenager.

Protestors gathered at Islington Town Hall and walked down Upper Street up to York Way carrying a large banner asking "Why Ben". On the way they paused outside London Mayor Boris Johnson's home.

The procession was organised by Ben's close friend Brooke Dunford, 16, who sent out leaflets, e-mails and posted messages on a social networking website.

Miss Dunford said: "I just couldn't sit around and grieve when this might happen to other people.

"If by doing this today I have made one person rethink taking out a knife then I have done my bit. That would be one more person going back home to his mum," she said.

Police stopped traffic and led the procession with a police escort.

The group stood silently in front of Shillibeers, the club where the disturbance began leading to Ben's death.

At the scene of his death in York Way the gathering chanted "What are we here for? Ben. Why are we here? No knives."

One of Ben's sisters, former EastEnders actress Brooke Kinsella, said: "This is just another trial and another life lost.

"I want to say thank you to every single person who is here and everyone else thinking of him."

She also appealed for witnesses to come forward urging them to "help save another life".

Birds of a Feather actress Linda Robson also joined the march, with her son Louis who was with Ben after the attack.

Mrs Robson called for "stronger deterrents" to knife crime saying: "If you can do that to another human being, you are not going to be able to take that out by sending them to prison for five or six years."

(BBC)

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