Hundreds of people have attended vigils in honour of trans girl Brianna Ghey who was fatally stabbed in Culcheth Linear Park, Warrington, on Saturday. One vigil took place outside the Department for Education’s building in Whitehall with events also taking place in Liverpool, Belfast and Dublin.
In Belfast, many of those who attended the vigil carried photographs of Brianna.
Leo Lardie, from the Rainbow Project, told the vigil: “Usually I am known as a man who is never at a loss for words, but today I truly and utterly am.
“There are no words to describe how hopelessly tragic and keenly painful the senseless death of a young girl like Brianna is.
“We are here tonight to show our deepest sympathies for her family, friends and the trans and non-binary community of the UK all of whom are left bereft by her sudden death.
“The UK can feel like an increasingly frightening place for trans and non-binary people to exist.”
Alliance representative on Belfast City Council Micky Murray said Brianna’s death was being felt by the trans community all over the world.
He said: “I hope this event brings comfort but I also think it brings a level of discomfort.
“Obviously we don’t want to have events like this, we don’t want to have to stand here to protest and to hold vigils.”
In Dublin, people gathered at The Spire in O’Connell Street, while in Belfast they came together at the front of the City Hall.
Protesters carried placards reading “Rest in Power” and “Trans Rights Now”.
More to follow…
