March and minute's silence held in memory of Plymouth teen Bobbi-Anne McLeod
The community came together on Saturday, two days after her killer was jailed
Last updated 22nd May 2022
'Bobbi-Anne should be fighting alongside all of us' was the heartfelt message heard by those gathered for a march in the Plymouth teenager's memory.
Around 150 people took to the city's streets on Saturday 21st May after the 18-year-old's killer was jailed for life, to serve a minimum sentence of 31 years.
Residents and others came together to honour Bobbi-Anne, starting at the iconic sundial at 1pm.
They wore her favourite colour, purple, lit candles and also held a minute's silence as a mark of respect.
Organisers of the event gave speeches and pledged to keep fighting to end violence against women and girls.
"She is the reason I found my voice"
The march ended at Smeaton's Tower, where co-organiser Elle Butcher, who is a similar age to Bobbi-Anne, said: "We shouldn't be marching in honour of Bobbi-Anne, she should be here with us today.
"She should be fighting alongside all of us but instead she is the reason that we are all here together as a community.
"She's brought us together and she is the reason that I've been able to find my voice.
"She is the reason that I now shout back at the men who cat-call me.
"She is the reason that I now fight back against the men who are groping me in the streets".
You can watch Elle's emotional speech in full below...
In a statement after her killer was sentenced, Bobbi-Anne McLeod's family said "we want him to know he has taken away our world", adding "our lives have changed forever".
Multiple vigils have been held in the teenager's honour and to raise awareness of the issue of violence against women and girls, including the event on Saturday.
Local women's safety campaigner Mel Sevieri was among the other speakers at the event.
She said: "It has taken something as evil and as cruel as Bobbi-Anne's tragic life being cut short in such a tragic way for people to start listening to us. And people are listening to us.
"Every newspaper in the country reported against violence against women and girls this week - reporting the need for change and highlighting how men need to help us with this".
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