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Christchurch teenagers look set to defy calls to abandon plans for a boy-racer "cruise" in memory of two girls killed in a hit-and-run last weekend.
Police and the parents of the dead 16-year-olds, Hannah Rossiter and Jane Young, have called for more conventional remembrances, but boy racers remain defiant.
Hannah's mother, Sally, urged mourners to attend the funeral for Hannah at St Margaret's College today, or, if they wanted a more public memorial, to attend a Cathedral Square vigil planned for Saturday night.
The "cruise" is being advertised by text message and on a Bebo website dedicated to the girls' deaths.
Safety fears have mounted after users left posts such as: "My mate wil be keen for some donuts in his 300ZX im sure."
The procession of cars is timed to occur exactly one week after Hannah and Jane were killed outside a party of over 500 teens and young adults on Edgeware Road when a car allegedly driven by Lipine Sila, 22, careered into a group of partygoers.
Sila was charged with two counts of murder.
Some of the youths on the Bebo site questioned the good taste of commemorating girls killed by a car with a car rally.
One user said: "im startin to get second thoughts bout this cruise ... at first it seemed a gud idea but im sure a couple f ... wits are gonna ruin for us."
The mother of one boy racer contacted The Press, concerned at her son's friends' plans for Saturday night which she said would see 400 to 600 cars converge on the St Albans death scene.
"There's nothing we can do," said Heather Mason. "They are arrogant young men. They think they're bulletproof -- they've got no respect."
Detective Senior Sergeant Brian Archer said police were monitoring the "cruise".
"We respect their desire to pay respects. We'll let them do what they want to do as long as it doesn't get out of control."
Those intending to have parties were asked to reconsider.
The Dean of Christ Church Cathedral, Peter Beck, said the church could be a better option and was open to the public every day.
There was a place in the cathedral where people could light a candle as a symbol of their remembrance and prayer, he said.
- NZPA
