Burnham and Highbridge’s Pride-on-Sea group has issued a statement of reaction on this week’s Brianna Ghey murder verdict – and also announced a gathering in Highbridge will be held at Apex Park to show solidarity.
The 16-year-old, who was transgender, was stabbed 28 times in a brutal attack in a park in Cheshire. Girl X and boy Y, who cannot be named due to their age, were convicted of the murder at Manchester Crown Court on Wednesday.
A spokesperson for Pride-on-Sea, which organised the town’s first Burnham and Highbridge Pride event earlier this year, says: “We send our solidarity to Brianna’s family and friends following the guilty verdict in the trial of two teenagers for her murder. Brianna and her family have been in our thoughts for ten months now.”
“We are aware that many trans-people and our allies, in all parts of the country, will want to come together in mutual support and solidarity.”
“We will be gathering, informally, in Highbridge’s Apex Park to support one another and feed the ducks on Saturday morning at 11am. We will be meeting near the ‘Duck Feeding Station’.”
“Brianna’s mother, Esther Ghey, has launched a campaign called ‘Peace in Mind’, aiming at training teachers in how to support young people with mental health issues.”
Ms Ghey told the BBC: “Young people are struggling so much with mental health at the moment. Brianna really struggled with her mental health. She was suffering from self-harm and eating disorders and I think that this is so widespread now something needs to change.”
Young people struggling with mental health issues can seek support from local charities like In Charley’s Memory in Highbridge.
The Burnham group adds: “While are grateful to the Jury, Court staff, and Lawyers for seeing Brianna as the person, who had been wronged and needed justice, rather than simply seeing her gender identity. Like many others around the country, we were shocked and saddened by the horrific murder of a lively young person just for being herself. We know, however, that trans-people are murdered all over the world: it is even more shocking that Brianna’s murder happened in this country. The Crown Prosecutor has said that this murder trial is one of the most distressing cases they have ever dealt with.”
Transgender-based hate crimes have increased in the Avon and Somerset Police area, adds Pride-on-Sea. Sixteen offences were recorded as transgender hate crimes in 2011/2, rising to 119 in 2022/3.
