Eurydice Dixon's memory illuminated at candlelight vigils. / Sky News AU
Standing on the soggy grass in silence among thousands of Melburnians, it was impossible not to be moved.
The vigil for Eurydice Dixon was packed with those who braved the cold to pay their respects. All organisers and Ms Dixon's grieving family asked for was 20 minutes of silent reflection as the lights over Princes Park went dark.
For the most part, their wishes were respected. But the silence was broken, news.com.au reports.
A phone rang loudly in the pocket of a man not far from where flowers, candles and cards had been placed in an ever-expanding tribute to the young comedian's short life.
The man, who was a member of the public, answered the phone to the collective groan of those nearby. When it rang again two minutes later, he answered it again.
Then a single voice from a television journalist echoed around the soccer pitch where Ms Dixon, 22, was raped and killed last Tuesday night. Then another.
The problem wasn't that reporters were there — I was there, too, covering the story for this website. The problem was the timing. There were ample opportunities before and after the dedicated period of reflection where a live cross wouldn't have seemed out of place.
But such were the wishes of producers in the reporters' ears.
A journalist and cameraman next to me commented to each other that the timing "felt off".
"I don't feel comfortable doing it now. We'll do it after," they agreed.
One Melbourne-based reporter lamented on social media how "everyone around me was shocked by the disrespect".
Jo Lauder wrote: "Shoutout to the commercial news network breaking the silence at a silent vigil every couple of minutes to do TV crosses … Giving journos a bad name."
Shoutout to the commercial news network breaking the silence at a silent vigil every couple of minutes to do tv crosses. Everyone around me was shocked by the disrespect. Giving journos a bad name.
The vigil was, for the most part, a beautiful, respectful event. More than 10,000 people turned out and the vast majority offered sincere condolences.
One-by-one, they added bunches of flowers and notes to a memorial that was started the day after the aspiring comedian's death.
But online, trolls did their best to ruin the Melbourne event. Organisers told the ABC they left "absolutely terrible and vile" comments on the Reclaim Princes Park Facebook page.
Organiser Megan Bridger-Darling said she had seen a comment suggesting that a woman wearing a short skirt was the same as "if you left $100 in your can wand walked away, and someone stole that".
Photo / Getty Images
But they could not spoil the night. Melbourne Lord Mayor Sally Capp said it best.
"So much of this week has been about fear. But tonight, seeing our city come together in solidarity, I felt an overwhelming sense of hope; hope that something good can come from this tragedy."
Ms Dixon's friends cancelled Tuesday's free comedy night at the Highlander Bar in the Melbourne CBD where she had performed on the night she was killed.
Kieran Butler, who ran Ms Dixon's last gig, told news.com.au the comedy community had collaborated on a song "to remember our friend" that can be listened to at freecomedy.com.au.
Ms Dixon's alleged killer, 19-year-old Jaymes Todd, has been charged with one count of rape and one count of murder. He has been remanded in custody to appear before the Melbourne Magistrates' Court in October.
