Vigil held in Peterborough for trans schoolgirl Brianna Ghey

Dozens of mourners gathered at the Guildhall in Peterborough city centre to remember Brianna Ghey.

The 16-year-old transgender girl was found stabbed in Linear Park, in Warrington, on 11 February.

The vigil was organised by Peterborough Pride and led by Alex Dawe, an active member of the city’s trans community.

Speaking at the vigil, she said: “Brianna Ghey was a 16-year-old young woman - a child.”

“Her parents described her as ‘a larger-than-life character who would leave a lasting impression on all that met her.’”

Alex spoke movingly about how she was considering her “own transition story” in the year Brianna was born, 2007.

The 47-year-old went on to describe the girl’s own experiences of teenage life, explaining how she “was popular on TikTok” where “she was known for miming and dancing,” adding “typical 16-year-old behaviour.”

Sadly, the transgender teen’s formative years were also very challenging.

“Brianna had faced years of transphobic harassment and bullying before she was in unalived, including at school, a part of which was being repeatedly ‘gang beaten.’”

“Brianna was unalived for being brave enough and true enough to wake up every morning and face the outside world as the beautiful young trans woman she was.”

Unalive is a slang term used on social media as a replacement for the verb kill.

Following a minute's silence, the crowd by the Guildhall started to mingle, sharing stories and offering support.

Alex believed the vigil was a positive experience.

“For all the wrong reasons for us being there,” she observed, “it actually turned out to be a really lovely and positive experience.”

“It was nice to feel that sense of community.”

The gathering in Peterborough was replicat ed in other towns and cities across the country.

LGBTQ+ radio stations across the UK also held a minute's silence in mem ory of Brianna.

On Friday, a candlelit vigil was held in Culcheth Village Green, near the scene of the stabbing.

The following evening, residents in Brianna’s hometown of Warrington wore rainbow flags, laid flowers, and wrote tributes on a placard set up in the town square.

A boy and girl, aged 15, and cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared at Liverpool Crown Court on February 16 charged with murder.