Update: On Goth Violence

[Abyssal Rain]

Memorial planned for murdered goth girl


By Carl Gavaghan
A MEMORIAL is being planned in Whitby for a goth girl beaten to death in Lancashire because of the way she looked.
Money will be raised for a memorial bench during Goth Weekend later this month that will be placed near the Royal Hotel.

Sophie Lancaster (20) suffered horrific head injuries in a mob attack which also left her boyfriend, Robert Maltby (21) fighting for his life earlier this year.

Her parents turned off her life support machine after doctors said she would not recover.Sophie Lancaster

Both Sophie and Robert were fans of the Goth culture and it is thought they were targeted for that reason.

Now, members of the Goth community are hoping to raise £1,600 to pay for a bench and plaque to be put in Whitby, near the famous whalebones, looking out to sea.

Martin Coles, aka DJ Martin Oldgoth, a regular at the goth weekend said the tragedy had touched people all around the world.

He said: "As 'alternative' people we're largely used to abuse, mostly verbal, for the way in which we look or dress, but this was just so brutal, so senseless.

"We just felt we had to do something, that we owed it to Sophie and her family, and the goth community at large to make sure she was never forgotten."

An information stall will be set up in the Pavilion over the weekend of 26 October where small black ribbon roses will be sold to be worn in her memory, and donations accepted to help pay for a memorial bench and plaque to be installed.

This bench will cost in the region of £1,600, but it is hoped more than that will be raised so any funds left over can be used in reforestation schemes in the UK to plant trees in Sophie's memory.

"In addition to the roses, Sexy Sunday will be raffling a one off custom made 'goth' bear that a toy maker is very kindly making for this purpose," added Martin.

"Sophie's death has touched people from around the world, all of us, I feel, see this as such a terrible thing to happen to someone. Since starting the online campaign to raise awareness of the collection I've been contacted by people from all over the world that have been shocked by this, and not just those from the gothic community, I've been talking to goths, bikers, metallers, people from the electro and indie scenes, just about any 'alternative' genre. All of them feel that her life should be remembered, and offering donations or help in spreading the word."

A minute's silence will also be held before the Whitby Gazette versus Goths football match on the Sunday.

The attack on Sophie, from Bacup, and Robert happened in a park in the town on 11 August, the couple, who had been together three years, had just moved into their first home together.

Five youths have since appeared in court in Lancashire charged over the attacks.

Last Updated: 10 October 2007 5:24 PM  

[Rellik San]

The youths will be out in 6 months, I guarantee it. Part of thing here, its not so much goths are targets, but if their time in school was like mine, its fear to defend yourself. Allow me to elaborate;

At school, I was bullied, very badly and sometimes very violently, there were however one or two occasions where I would defend myself. But I soon stopped. You see, one the rare occasions I defended myself, I got the blame constantly for apparently starting these fights, based on the grounds... I was taller then the other kids. So if my very appearance meant I was unable to defend myself without being punished. I may as well just let them beat me up.

I've since learned otherwise, I've also learned to be smart, in the event that I need to and do defend myself, I know exactly what to do thanks to terms such as 'reasonable force', 'defensive maneuver' and 'persistent attackers'. But there is still this stigma around, that if someone from a non-mainstream group or culture defends themselves from attackers, then they will be prosecuted in place of the attackers for the simple act of ensuring ones own life and safety.  

[Draco Vampir]

I'm discriminated against all the time in school fro beign goth, and even moreso for being pagan, but I fight back if people make an attempt at attacking me, be it verbal or physical. I refuse to live in fear because of being different, and I refuse to allow myself to be treated less fairly for being different, not without a hell of a fight.

Yes, this sort of thing is terrible, and a direct result of societal ignorance, but this is no reason to suddenly become afraid. We are still people, and we deserve just as much respect as everyone else. sometimes you simply have to fight against adversity.  

[Substance-E]

Another reason Britian sucks xp  

[CurlyBones]

Not just the U.K, it's everywhere!!

Why do people have to hate!?

I don't like Chavs but I don't HATE them..

You get my following!?  

[Rellik San]

Substance-E

Another reason Britian sucks xp

Besides the illeagal immigrants taking jobs that should go to British citizens, mass unemployment, an incompetent government, the fact half of england is an industrial wasteland and the only decent TV shows we ever made all got canceled except for Doctor Who which got reinstated?  

[Bloody Loon]

Rellik San

Substance-E

Another reason Britian sucks xp

Besides the illeagal immigrants taking jobs that should go to British citizens, mass unemployment, an incompetent government, the fact half of england is an industrial wasteland and the only decent TV shows we ever made all got canceled except for Doctor Who which got reinstated?

Wait, when did Britain become the United States? I mean seriously, this is nearly EXACTLY what's happening in the US, except we're blowing away more on a fictional war.  

[Draco Vampir]

and its the same thing here in canada. My city especially has a higher unemployment rate than most places in Ontario, but when I go to look for a job, they've already given the job to an immigrant. I live in London, Ontario, "the forest city", and yet we're cutting down huge groves of trees and recently spent 24000 dollars paying some artist to put up a bunch of shitty looking pastel-color-painted metal trees downtown which almost everyone hates. in fact, the part of the city I like most is the east end. Everything is nicely run down there, there's trees everywhere because the city doesn't bother investing their time there so in the last 60 years or so nature has taken back as much as it could, right up to the train tracks and concrete bridges. the roads look like crap all over the country, public works is a mess, schools are underfunded and understaffed, the natives are starting to grow increasingly angered, and the entire country is basically going the way of America in terms of becoming devoid of culture.  

[Rellik San]

Kaishi Kyouki

Rellik San

Substance-E

Another reason Britian sucks xp

Besides the illeagal immigrants taking jobs that should go to British citizens, mass unemployment, an incompetent government, the fact half of england is an industrial wasteland and the only decent TV shows we ever made all got canceled except for Doctor Who which got reinstated?

Wait, when did Britain become the United States? I mean seriously, this is nearly EXACTLY what's happening in the US, except we're blowing away more on a fictional war.

Did I mention the fact Britain has also suffered from acts of major and minor international terrorism for over 30 years?

Seriously, britain sucks just as much as America does, with the exception, that all our rich live in the south, where as all yours live in the north (With the exceptions for Cheshire and Texas respectively). Our countries are in a pretty similar boat. *shrugs*  

[Veruniel]

Substance-E

Another reason Britian sucks xp

Can we please show a little respect for Britain and not say it sucks without any qualifying statements? Thank you.  

[Veruniel]

I'd like to add to this discussion that according to Wikipedia, gothic dress was only mentioned by the police as a possible motive for attack. It hasn't been conclusively proven. A short article on the BBC website mentions the horrific nature of the beating and the tragedy of a life being cut short so violently, but doesn't mention anything about the girl in question being a goth. It sounds to me like the police are still looking for leads, and there may have been another motive.  

[Rellik San]

Veruniel

Substance-E

Another reason Britian sucks xp

Can we please show a little respect for Britain and not say it sucks without any qualifying statements? Thank you.

Britain sucks... how do I know?... I live in the god damnable place.  

[Veruniel]

Rellik San

Veruniel

Substance-E

Another reason Britian sucks xp

Can we please show a little respect for Britain and not say it sucks without any qualifying statements? Thank you.

Britain sucks... how do I know?... I live in the god damnable place.

So do I. And having lived in the United States, I can tell you that Britian, by comparison, does not suck hands down. Yes, it has its problems. However, I would rather live in a country that uses some of its tax revenues to support absolute deadbeats than live in a country where people who are poor through no fault of their own are struggling for every penny. I would rather live in a country with a somewhat broken national healthcare system than in a country with no healthcare system at all. Personally, the quality of my life has increased exponentially since I returned to Britain and I am eternally grateful.  

[Rellik San]

Veruniel

Rellik San

Veruniel

Substance-E

Another reason Britian sucks xp

Can we please show a little respect for Britain and not say it sucks without any qualifying statements? Thank you.

Britain sucks... how do I know?... I live in the god damnable place.

So do I. And having lived in the United States, I can tell you that Britian, by comparison, does not suck hands down. Yes, it has its problems. However, I would rather live in a country that uses some of its tax revenues to support absolute deadbeats than live in a country where people who are poor through no fault of their own are struggling for every penny. I would rather live in a country with a somewhat broken national healthcare system than in a country with no healthcare system at all. Personally, the quality of my life has increased exponentially since I returned to Britain and I am eternally grateful.

I suppose it depends where about in Britain you live, I'm not saying America is much better, or much worse. However what I am saying is that both countries suck, America is already bad, but Britain is getting to a point thats just as bad.  

[Veruniel]

Rellik San

I suppose it depends where about in Britain you live, I'm not saying America is much better, or much worse. However what I am saying is that both countries suck, America is already bad, but Britain is getting to a point thats just as bad.

This is true. As I understand it, I'm very lucky to be living in Norwich and it might be giving me too rosy a picture of Britain as a whole.