Speakers and attendees at the Hott 107.5 Peace Rally on Sunday afternoon all had their reasons for attending and the views on the violence.

Here are some snippets from those who attended.

Pastor Eldridge Burrows Jr, of the Harvest Church said: "I believe you can live in a positive Bermuda one more time. I do not believe everybody is lost.

"I believes there's going to be a change."

Rickeesha Binns, a runner-up in the Bermuda Idol contest last year and a recovering drug addict said: "Our young people are not gone.

"Why are we concentrating on our bad youth and not just as much effort on our good youth? I am a strong youth advocate and I don't understand people saying: 'this youth they are so unruly.'

"Then let's today call a spade a spade and get rid of the elephant in the room. (parents need to take charge) Let them know this is the last phone call they are going to make from your home."

Bishop Vernon G. Lambe of the First Church of God said: "Now is the time. We are here because our nation is in crisis.

"Enough is enough I say today there has to be a conversation that enough is enough. How many more must go the way that we are seeing them going?

"How many more parents will be in the position of burying their children. We have to go beyond talking and articulate it into something. What can we do?"

Senator Thaao Dill and Hott 107.5 Radio Host said as he was leaving the event: "It was extraordinary to see this commitment and love and purpose being demonstrated. This will not stop; it cannot."

Dianne Gordon, the Chamber of Commerce's executive vice-president, who was in the crowd of white-dressed attendees, said: "It's bad enough that we lose our Bermudian children on the roads now we are even scared to walk the streets.

"We have all had enough. This is so worthwhile. This is everybody's concern; this is everybody's responsibility. I am very disappointed (with the turnout) but the people who are here are committed.

"This field should be so full of people."

O'Brian Cartwright, who is Mirrors Programme worker among his other social work, said: "I think it's important to show our concern.

"Concern not only for the community but also those who have to endure these type of experiences. I am there on the primary line trying to salvage young people.

"Things are not as bad as they can be because there are a lot of unsung heroes out there."

Jeananne, who brought her nine-year-old son to the rally, said: "I wanted to show him that when he grows older to not go the way of violence.

"To open his eyes a little more. Especially being a male it (the community) has changed dramatically.

RuthAnn Lambe, wife of Bishop Vernon G. Lambe, said: "My husband was a speaker so I came in support of the families who lost loves ones.

"When I first came to Bermuda (from Pennsylvania) you heard of a murder once in a blue moon. I run a nursery school and it starts with them when they are little.

"Whatever they (the kids) want they can have. There was a time when they had to work for what they have. Parents need to back up sometimes going forward is to go backward.

"Make children realise the value of people."

Continuing on the anti-violence theme, the leaders at the Bermuda Industrial Union (BIU) Labour Day March shared their views.

Premier Ewart Brown: "I know recent events in our country as it relates to violence have many of us troubled. The Cabinet met in a special session to build a plan that we can implement immediately.

"When the Cabinet meets (today) each Minister will be ready to act out the areas which fall under his or her purview.

"The Government can only be a part of the solution. The true solution relies on all of us. We must meddle like we are parents first instead of mingling like we are their friends first."

Public Safety Minister David Burch said the cell phones and TV remote controls needed to be removed from the hands of the Island's youth and replaced with attention from parents. "What they need is your time and your attention. Parents, I implore you to create a learning environment at home. Place some books at your child's fingers."

Young Bermudian Jason Hayward, chairman of the BPSU's Future Leaders Committee: "I just would like to say something to the young men of this Island: could you please please stop the violence."

He suggested the Island adopted an approach like in Jamaica where the Government gets young men to sign up to a violence-free lifestyle.

BUT President Keisha Douglas: "We are in a state of crisis, not only educationally but socially. Boys on the wall — they have a seed inside of them and all they need is for us to reach inside and grab it."