The heartbreaking words of Southport stabbing victim Alice da Silva Aguiar's parents were read out at her funeral on Sunday, which was attended by hundreds of people paying their respects to the tragically slain nine-year-old. Despite having to grapple with their unimaginable grief at the loss of their child, Alice's parents took a moment to decry the violent riots that have been supposedly carried out in her name. Alice's parents also had an emotional final message to their "bright" and "inquisitive" daughter, who they called their "beloved angel".
Speaking during the funeral at St Patrick’s Catholic Church in Southport, which was also attended by the emergency services that responded on that awful day, July 29, they said: “Keep dancing. Mummy and Daddy will always, always love you.” Father Sergio and mother Alexandra were praised for their "great courage" in speaking out against the unrest that has spread across the UK in the weeks following the horrific mass stabbing that left their daughter and two others, Bebe King and Elsie Dot Stancombe, dead after attending a Taylor Swift dance class.
The alleged perpetrator, 17-year-old Axel Rudakubana, is said to have also wounded eight other young children and two adults in the attack. READ MORE: Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant engulfed in flames with Russia accused of 'blackmail' In the wake of the awful attack, agitators online spread misinformation about the perpetrator of the violence, incorrectly stating that was not a UK resident and was Muslim. The 17-year-old who has appeared before magistrates and been charged with the attack is a Christian who was born in Cardiff - but violent thugs still took the tragedy as an excuse to attack mosques and police, while trashing local communities.
Serena Kennedy, Chief Constable of Merseyside Police , speaking both to and on behalf of the family, said: “You have shown great courage in asking me to be here today to give a message from you, Alice’s family, to say that you do not want there to be any more violence on the streets of the United Kingdom in the name of your daughter. “I am ashamed and I’m so sorry that you had to even consider this in the planning of the funeral of your beautiful daughter, Alice. “And I hope that anyone who has taken part in the violent disorder on our streets over the past 13 days is hanging their head in shame at the pain that they have caused you, a grieving family.
“I know that you asked that there is no more violence and that you are now given time as a family to grieve in peace. And that our traumatised community is allowed time to heal, the time it needs to start to heal.” Alice's headteacher at Churchtown Primary School in Southport, Jinnie Payne, tearfully described a bright and happy nine-year-old who had a long list of good characteristics, including a big smile, a practised politeness, and natural sense of "equality" when playing with her friends.
Describing the bright youngster, she said: "Alice wanted to do everything there was on offer and she seized those opportunities and you (her parents) provided them for Alice." Ending her tear-jerking list, Ms Payne said: "Finally, the number seven is family. Alice’s words, ‘it doesn’t matter who your family are as long as they love each other’, and Alice did that.
” Jinnie Payne, Alice's headteacher, read out an emotional poem written about her pupil, called "Here Comes Alice", making reference to Alice's qualities as well as the time she decorated the teacher's pointer to look like a magic wand. The poem read: “The time has come to say ‘there goes Alice’. We are letting you go dancing now, Alice.
Teach those angels a few dance moves. “Keep daydreaming, Alice, it’s a magical place to be, in your own thoughts. Make magic every day with your teacher pointer, Alice, and we will feel the power of your magic ability.
“Let your beaming smile guide you, Alice, and shine brightly on us all.”.
