#LoveLikeJo: Thousands mark death of Jo Cox MP

 Reuters

Thousands of people took part in memorial events for MP Jo Cox on Wednesday afternoon under the banner #LoveLikeJo.

The former MP for Batley and Spen was killed last week in an attack in her constituency town of Bistall, West Yorkshire. The mother of two would have celebrated her 42nd birthday today.

Tributes from musician Bono and actor Bill Knighy were among dozens throughout the afternoon as the campaign on the EU referendum entered its last day. Cox's family travelled to the event in Trafalgar Square on a memorial boat on the Thames that bore the name "Yorkshire Rose".

Malala Yousafzai, who was shot by the Taliba, spoke to the thousands in Trafalgar Square Reuters

Cox's husband Brendan said his wife was opposed to extremism in all its forms and said she had become a symbol for tolerance.

"Jo's killing was an act of terror designed to advance hatred against others," Brendan Cox told thousands gathered in Trafalgar Square. But "it has advanced an outpouring of love".

Faith representatives laid 42 white roses at the event, to symbolise her age and Yorkshire heritage. Some of Cox's favourite songs were played live as central London paused to mark the first death of a sitting politician in more than 20 years.

Malala Yousafzai also spoke at the Trafalgar Square event, which was called #MoreInCommon. The name was taken from an excerpt of Cox's maiden speech where she said what unites us is far more than what divides us. Malala, who was shot as a schoolgirl in Pakistan, said the phrase was not just a line from Cox's speech but a principle that she lived her life by.

As well as the thousands in Trafalgar Square, another 2,000 gathered in the market square in Batley, according to local police, and hundreds of others met in other locations including Edinburgh, New York and Paris.

Brendan Cox said Jo stood against all forms of extremism Reuters
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