Brianna Ghey: Candle-lit vigils held across UK in memory of trans girl stabbed to death in park

Hundreds of people attended candle-lit vigils in Liverpool and Bristol on Tuesday (14 February) to pay tribute to Brianna Ghey, the trans teenager who was stabbed to death in a Warrington park on Saturday.

An estimated 300 people gathered outside St George’s Hall, Liverpool, leaving flowers and lighting candles in memory of the teen.

Ghey was found on a path in Linear Park, in Culcheth, on Saturday (11 February) and was pronounced dead on the scene.

A boy and girl, both 15 years old and from Leigh, were arrested on Monday and have subsequently been charged with murder. 

Police are also investigating the alleged murder as a potential hate crime. 

Cheshire police has told PinkNews it has “not been made aware of any previous reports or allegations of bullying in relation to Brianna”.

The vigil in Liverpool was organised by Brianna’s friends for members and allies of the trans community to remember the “much-loved daughter, granddaughter and baby sister”. 

Alongside the flowers and candles, people held signs, which included ones saying “protect trans youth” and “rest in power”, and placed posters with Ghey’s picture on them. 

One attendee, called Amber, told The Guardian: “I’m sad and angry.

“Sad that we need to be here, angry that we are here.

“But it feels inevitable. The media’s hostility towards trans people has led to this and we are in a position where the government knows what it needs to do but it doesn’t care. I think it’s only going to get worse. 

‘We’re going to be back here again in weeks, months.”

Hundreds more attended a candlelit vigil in Bristol’s College Green.

Speaking with Bristol247 at the event, Trans Pride South West volunteer Kaz Self said: “When I saw the image of Brianna on Saturday, I was devastated by what I saw… The pain I have been in over the last few days has been abysmal.

“Brianna deserves to be respected in death as well as life. She was 16. She identified as female and yet the fact of the matter is, she will have male on her death certificate.

“This is the very reason why we have been campaigning for reform of the Gender Recognition Act.”

The vigils in Liverpool and Bristol is are just two of the dozens which are set to take place across the country during the next week in memory of Brianna Ghey.