Cardiff vigil to remember Brianna Ghey described as 'beacon of hope' for transgender community

Brianna Ghey, 16, was found with fatal stab wounds in a park. Credit: Family photo/ITV Cymru Wales

A candle-lit vigil has been held in south Wales in memory of Brianna Ghey.

The teenager was found with fatal stab wounds on a path in Culcheth Linear Park in Warrington shortly after 3pm on Saturday 11 February.

A vigil for the 16-year-old was held in Cardiff on Thursday 16 February.

A spokesperson for Glitter Cymru, a Cardiff based community of LGBTQ+ people, described the gathering as "a beacon of hope" for the transgender community.

Though police have not confirmed Brianna was the victim of a hate crime, Glitter Cymru described her death as "highlighting the constant state of fear, societal rejection and unprovoked violence that trans people have to endure daily".

Vigils organised by members of the transgender community have taken place across the UK to remember the teenager.

A vigil was held in Cardiff in memory of Brianna Ghey. Credit: ITV Cymru Wales

Two 15-year-olds have since been charged with Brianna's murder. The boy and girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared via videolink from youth detention accommodation at Liverpool Crown Court on Thursday.

The pair were both accompanied by an adult and spoke only to confirm their names and dates of birth. The girl’s parents and the boy’s mother were in the public gallery for the hearing, which lasted just under half an hour.

Brianna's family described her as a "much-loved" daughter, granddaughter and sister.

ITV Wales also spoke with one transgender woman who attended the vigil. She wished to remain anonymous in order to protect herself from transphobia.

"It’s terrifying. I already fear walking through Bute Park alone at night to get home, now I won’t even attempt it. Being scared to leave your home out of fear of hate is exhausting and it makes me grieve that we have to live like this as a community.

"Whether Brianna’s death was the result of a hate crime or not, we have lost a young life which is always a tragedy. I will be attending the vigil to remember Brianna and all the trans lives we have lost.

"I just want to be me. I just want to be safe", she explained.

Police confirmed that every line of inquiry was being explored, including hate crime. Credit: ITV Cymru Wales

Mermaids, the UK based transgender charity, reported a 31% increase in referrals to their helpline on Monday 13 and Tuesday 14 February, compared to the previous week.

In addition, the National Hate Crime Statistics for England and Wales 2021-22 showed a 56% increase in recorded transgender hate crimes across Wales compared to 2020-21. 

Brianna was a transgender girl with police initially stating there was no evidence to suggest her killing was a hate crime. However, detectives have since said that every line of inquiry was being explored, including hate crime.

A Home Office post-mortem examination is currently taking place to establish the cause of death after Brianna suffered multiple stab wounds.

Prosecutor Leanne Gallagher told the court that the incident was “extremely brutal and punishing”.

A GoFundMe page crowdfunding page that was created to support Brianna’s family has received more than £99,000 in donations so far.