Vigils Held Across the UK for Murdered Trans Girl, Brianna Ghey

Last Saturday, 16-year-old Brianna Ghey was stabbed to death in Warrington Park, Liverpool. Since the deadly attack, an outpouring of grief from the LGBTQ+ community has been seen across the country, with many blaming the media’s ongoing hostility towards the trans community.

Over three-hundred people showed up to pay their respects at St. George’s Hall in Liverpool on Tuesday evening. Signs reading “Rest In Power”, and “Your policies of hate are killing trans youth,” were seen next to sea of candles and flowers.

Over thirty vigils are set to take place this week, from Brighton to Leeds.

Friends of Ghey have said she was “bullied and attacked for years for the simple reason of being trans.”

Police initially dismissed the possibility of the attack being a hate crime but are now keeping “all lines of enquiry open,” and have arrested two fifteen-year-olds. The teenage girl and boy appeared before a district judge at Chester magistrates court on Wednesday charged with murder.

A spokesperson for the Police has commented that "All lines of enquiry are being explored, including whether this was a hate crime.”

A GoFundMe page has been set up to support the Ghey family, set up by family and friends of Brianna.

“Brianna was an outgoing, confident girl,” reads the page. “She brought a lot of laughter to those who knew her. She was looking forward to taking her exams this year and beginning her journey into the adult world.

We have set up this page to help the family at this truly devastating time. We need your support to help them with funeral costs (we want to make this pink and colourful to match her personality) and ask if you can spare anything no matter how small to try to relieve their stress and allow them to grieve their beautiful daughter.”