A VIGIL for a "murdered" primary school teacher is being held in Brighton tonight.
People are due to meet in Valley Gardens at 7pm after Sabina Nessa died in London.
According to reports, she was attacked with a weapon and her body was found hidden under a pile of leaves.
Police are investigating the suspected murder and are continuing to appeal for information.
An organiser of the Brighton event said: "Please stand in solidarity with us against yet more violence against women and girls.
"Sabina Nessa was murdered just minutes away from meeting her friend. She is the 208th woman murdered this year in the UK.
"We will light up the darkness in her memory."
The Metropolitan Police issued images of a man walking in Pegler Square in Kidbrooke, south-east London, on the evening Sabina was attacked.
Detectives have also released an image, captured in the same area, of a silver car they believe the man has access to and appealed for anyone who recognised either to contact the force immediately.
Detective chief inspector Neil John, from the Met’s specialist crime command, said “an extensive trawl” of CCTV in the area continued and said information on the man’s identity and whereabouts could be “vital” to the investigation.
Ms Nessa was walking to meet a friend at The Depot bar in Pegler Square near her home at around 8.30pm last Friday, a journey that should have taken just five minutes, when she was attacked.
A member of the public found her body close to the OneSpace community centre in Cator Park on Saturday at around 5.30pm.
Ms Nessa’s cousin Zubel Ahmed remembered her as a “beautiful soul” who loved teaching, telling the BBC that she “was the most caring person – kindest, sweetest girl you could meet”.
Her death comes after the public outrage and protests over the abduction and murder of 33-year-old marketing executive Sarah Everard as she walked home alone in south London in March.
A vigil is being held on Friday evening at 7pm at Pegler Square for Ms Nessa and people who cannot attend are being encouraged to hold a candle at their doorstep at the same time.
Reclaim These Streets, a campaign group involved in organising the vigil for Ms Nessa, said it is “angry and heartbroken” about her murder.
Dozens of bouquets have been left at the park where the body of the teacher was found.
Tributes included a note reading: “Miss you so much. RIP my beautiful friend.”
Another note said: “She just wanted to meet her friend. She was minutes from her home. She didn’t deserve this.”
Some police cordons have been removed from the north end of the park, including those which had sealed off the OneSpace community centre near to where Ms Nessa’s body was found, though it remained deserted apart from a handful of officers patrolling this morning.
The Metropolitan Police said a 38-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of Ms Nessa’s murder.
The suspect was arrested at an address in Lewisham on Thursday and is being questioned in custody.
It is the second arrest Scotland Yard has made in connection with the attack.
On Saturday, detectives arrested a man in his 40s on suspicion of murder before he was released under further investigation.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel