Brianna Ghey Leeds vigil: 11 pictures from the moving event held to remember murdered transgender teenager

The event in Park Square on Saturday afternoon was one of a number held around the UK, including in the town where the transgender 16-year-old girl was killed. Brianna, who was from Birchwood in Warrington, was found with fatal wounds on a path in nearby Culcheth Linear Park on the afternoon of Saturday February 11.

In a statement released through the police, Brianna’s family said they had been “overwhelmed” by the “support, positivity and compassion” show from across the country since her death.

A boy and a girl, both aged 15, have been charged with her murder and appeared via videolink at Liverpool Crown Court on Thursday when a trial date was fixed for July.

Many of those who attended the vigil took to social media afterwards to share their thoughts. Dalton Harrison wrote on Twitter: “ I went to the Leeds vigil to pay my respects to Brianna with a bag of signs. As a society, we must do much more to protect trans lives for us to be free. Every trans person who spoke talked about the journey every trans person makes & it starts with – it could have been me #RIP.”

Coun Jonathan Pryor wrote: “Yesterday I was at the Leeds vigil for Brianna Ghey. She should be still here, studying for her GCSEs, doing what any 16 year old does with her whole life ahead of her. The anger, fear & sense of loss in our community is palpable. We must stand with our trans siblings.”

Susie Green said: “Honoured to be asked to speak at the vigil for Brianna in Leeds. It was incredibly moving to see so many people there to both celebrate her life and to mourn her brutal death. The speakers were amazing, the vast majority trans themselves. It felt right as well as deeply tragic.”