Hate crime probe over girl’s murder
A NEW Banksy wall painting in Kent, which appears to have a theme of domestic abuse and fighting violence against women, has been dismantled hours after the elusive artist claimed it as their work.
The street artist confirmed they were behind the artwork, which was discovered on the side of a wall in Margate, by sharing a series of photos of the piece on their Instagram yesterday.
Titled Valentine’s Day Mascara, the original piece depicted a 1950s housewife wearing a blue pinny and yellow washing-up gloves with a swollen eye and a missing tooth seemingly shoving her
DETECTIVES probing the stab murder of 16-year-old Brianna Ghey have said they are investigating whether it was a hate crime.
The teenager, from Birchwood in Warrington, Cheshire, was found by members of the public as she lay wounded on a path in Linear Park, Culcheth, at around 3.13pm on Saturday.
Cheshire Police previously said there was no evidence to suggest Brianna, who was a transgender girl, was the victim of a hate crime.
But yesterday, the force issued a statement which said all lines of inquiry were being explored, “including whether this was a hate crime”.
A boy and a girl, both aged 15, were arrested on suspicion of Brianna’s murder and detectives have been granted an extension of 30 hours to further question the two suspects, police said.
A GoFundMe crowdfunding page set up to help the schoolgirl’s family has passed £70,000 in donations just one day after it was set up.
Candle-lit vigils, organised by members of the transgender community, are set to be male partner into a chest freezer. The resident of the property where the painting was created, who asked not to be named, told the PA news agency the freezer and other items including a broken garden chair used for the artwork had been removed “very quickly” and put into a truck at midday yesterday. take place across the country in memory of the teenager.
In the coming days, vigils are due to be held in cities such as London, Glasgow, Leeds and Belfast – with events in Liverpool and Bristol due to take place last night.
In a tribute issued after Brianna’s death on behalf of her family, they said the teenager was a “much-loved daughter, granddaughter, and baby sister”.
The statement continued: “She was a larger-than-life character who would leave a lasting impression on all that met her.
“Brianna was beautiful, witty and hilarious.
“Brianna was strong, fearless and one of a kind.
“The loss of her young life has left a massive hole in our family, and we know that the teachers and her friends who were involved in her life will feel the same.”
A number of police vans were seen parked in the surrounding area after the incident, with a number of uniformed officers patrolling the park.
A large section of the area was cordoned off by police tape, and police dogs were also seen at the scene.
The headteacher at Brianna’s school, Birchwood Community High School, said they were “shocked and truly devastated” by her death.
A number of schoolchildren, still in their school uniforms, placed flowers at the police cordon at the entrance to the park on Monday.