Two 15-year-olds were charged on Wednesday with the murder of a 16-year-old transgender Briton, Brianna Ghey, which has caused outrage in the LGBT+ community, with hundreds of people gathering in several cities across the country for him. pay homage.
The body of Brianna Ghey, who was stabbed to death, was found in a park in Culchet near Liverpool in north-west England on Saturday. A 15-year-old girl and a boy of the same age have been charged, Cheshire Police said on Wednesday. They will appear in court at a later date. Investigators are now looking into whether Brianna Ghey was killed because she was transgender.
“Protect trans youth! »
On Wednesday, new rallies were held in several cities across the country by the transgender community, following candlelight vigils held the day before in Liverpool and Bristol. In London, dozens of people gathered in front of the Ministry of Education at the end of the day.
Videos posted to social media show those in attendance applauding Brianna’s memory and chanting slogans like “Trans rights are a human right!” “Protect trans youth!” », « Justice for Brianna! “, can we read on the signs brandished by some, while others hold striped flags in the colors of the LGBT + community.
In Belfast, Brighton, Dublin and Manchester, hundreds of people also took part in vigils in tribute to the young girl. “There are no words to describe how desperately tragic and deeply painful the senseless death of a young girl like Brianna is,” Leo Hardie, who attended the Belfast rally and a member of the association for LGBT+ rights Rainbow Project.
Lively debates among the British
This murder comes at a time when the issue of transgender people has been at the heart of culture wars in the United Kingdom for several years, giving rise to heated debates.
In a statement sent by the police, the victim’s family paid tribute to a “beautiful, witty and hilarious” young girl. “Brianna was strong, fearless and unique”, they added, her disappearance “leaves a huge chasm in our family”.
On Monday, many of Brianna’s classmates laid flowers at the entrance to the police-blocked park where her body was found. A fundraiser organized to help his family had raised more than 92,000 pounds sterling (103,000 euros) on Wednesday.