Vigils held for Chloe Mitchell as speakers condemn 'hellscape' of gender violence in the north

Vigils have taken place in Ballymena and Belfast for Chloe Mitchell, amid calls for action to end to gender violence across the north.

Crowds gathered at Belfast City Hall on Wednesday afternoon, with groups including the Women's Aid Federation NI speaking.

A second vigil was held on Wednesday evening at Harryville in Ballymena, where Ms Mitchell lived with her family.

The 21-year-old was last seen in Ballymena town centre in the early hours of June 3.

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One man, 26-year-old Brandon John Rainey, from James Street in Ballymena, has appeared in court charged with her murder, and was remanded in custody until July 6.

A 34-year-old man, Ryan Johnston Gordon, of Nursery Close, Ballymena, has been charged with attempting to impede justice by concealing evidence around the alleged murder of Ms Mitchell between June 2 and June 5.

Police launched a murder investigation following the discovery on Sunday of suspected human remains in Ballymena.

At the Belfast vigil, organised by socialist feminist organisation Rosa NI, speakers described "terrifying" statistics on violence against women and girls in the north.

Among those in attendance were the parents of murdered Lurgan woman Natalie McNally, who was stabbed to death in her home last December, while placards were held in memory of other murdered women, including west Belfast's Hollie Thompson, who was killed last September.

Susan Fitzgerald of Unite the Union highlighted an Agenda NI report that states Northern Ireland has the joint highest murder rate of women subjected to domestic violence in Europe, alongside Romania.

She spoke of the "hellscape of gender violence and femicide" experienced by women in the north, and referred to the number of women killed by men in recent years.

"This is the 18th time we have had to say 'never again' since 2020," Ms Fitzgerald said.

A statement from Rachel Coyle, of the National Women's Council of Ireland, was read out, stating Chloe Mitchell "deserved to live her life free of violence and intimidation".

"We live in a dangerous place to be a woman, but we know that femicides are just the thin end of the wedge," the statement said.

"We must demand a zero-tolerance approach to women, and this means tackling sexism and misogyny in all its forms. We must eradicate the hatred that exists in our society towards women and the entitlement that men feel to our bodies."

The CEO of the Women's Aid Federation NI, Sarah Mason, told attendees: "A woman is murdered every other month here and nothing is being done."

She added: "We have to be angry - this is too much."

Ahead of the Ballymena rally, it was revealed a planned event by the Ballymena Runners group in the Co Antrim town due to take place this Friday was cancelled as a "mark of respect" to Ms Mitchell.