LONDON – The youngest of three girls killed in a teenage shooting during a Taylor Swift dance class was mourned at a private funeral Saturday.
Six-year-old Bebe King was the second girl to be buried in Southport following the July 29 murders. The killings sparked nationwide unrest that lasted for more than a week after false information about the perpetrator’s identity and religion began to circulate.
King’s family issued a statement a week ago calling her a spirited girl “full of joy, light and love.”
“Our hearts are broken, but we take some comfort in knowing that Bebe was so loved by all who knew her,” said Lauren and Ben King and their other daughter Genie. “She will forever be our shining star and we will carry her with us in everything we do.”
They asked the media not to photograph the funeral and restricted the service at St Cuthbert’s Church to those who knew her best. They asked those invited to wear light-coloured clothing and asked other supporters to light a candle in her memory.
King, Alice da Silva Aguiar, 9, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7, were killed in the attack that injured ten other people, including two adults.
King’s older sister Genie witnessed the attack but escaped, her parents said.
“She has shown such incredible strength and courage and we are so proud of her,” the statement said. “Her resilience is a testament to the love and bond she shared with her little sister and we will continue to support her as we navigate this painful journey together as a family.”
The funeral of Aguiar, who was described by her parents as a “perfect dream child,” took place last Sunday.
Serena Kennedy, Chief Constable of Merseyside Police, spoke at the funeral and relayed the parents’ message calling for an end to the violent unrest. She said no one should commit acts of violence in their daughter’s name.
The riots broke out the night after the stabbings, following a peaceful vigil in Southport. A gang made up mainly of men marched towards a mosque, pelted police with bricks and bottles and set fire to a police van.
Dozens of police officers were injured and the next day riots broke out in London and several other cities, spreading as far as Belfast in Northern Ireland during the week. Cars were set on fire, shops were looted and hotels housing asylum seekers were attacked by mobs.
More than 1,000 people have been arrested so far, and around 100 people have already been sentenced to prison terms of up to six years in efforts to ensure swift justice.
The unrest largely ended on August 7, when police prepared protests in 100 different locations. Aside from a few isolated incidents, those protesters did not show up and large anti-racism marches took place instead.
