Thousands of people have joined silent vigils across Germany to pay tribute to a student who was beaten to death after stopping a group of men harassing two women.

Tugce Albayrak, 22, intervened when she heard the women screaming for help in a restaurant toilet in the city of Offenbach on 15 November.

Tugce Albayrak: Germany pays tribute Show all 11 1 /11 Tugce Albayrak: Germany pays tribute Tugce Albayrak: Germany pays tribute Tugce tribute Tugce would have celebrated her 23rd birthday on 28th November EPA Tugce Albayrak: Germany pays tribute haris-epa.jpg Haris Seferovic of Eintracht Frankfurt celebrates scoring in a match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Borussia Dortmund at Commerzbank-Arena on 30 November by paying tribute to Tugce Albayrak EPA Tugce Albayrak: Germany pays tribute tribute-getty.jpg Tributes for Tugce Albayrak continue to emerge in Germany over the weekend Getty Tugce Albayrak: Germany pays tribute Tugce tribute A letter reading "For you, you silent hero, you courageous young woman, you beautiful and intelligent person" Corbis Tugce Albayrak: Germany pays tribute Tugce tribute "For more civil courage" is painted in memory of the attack outside the McDonald's in Offenbach Corbis Tugce Albayrak: Germany pays tribute Tugce tribute A vigil was held for the 22yr-old student following the attack EPA Tugce Albayrak: Germany pays tribute Tugce tribute A sign reading "Tugce we're praying for you" across the road from the McDonald's restaurant Corbis Tugce Albayrak: Germany pays tribute Tugce tribute Graffiti in memory of the attack on Tugce Albayrak painted in Offenbach Corbis Tugce Albayrak: Germany pays tribute Tugce tribute The Sana Hospital in Offenbach where Tugce Albayrak was in a coma following the attack Corbis Tugce Albayrak: Germany pays tribute Tugce tribute More than a thousand people joined a vigil in Offenbach after it was announced that Tugce would not recover EPA Tugce Albayrak: Germany pays tribute Tugce tribute Tributes were paid to Tugce Albayrak outside the hospital where she died EPA

But later, in the car park, she was brutally attacked with a bat by one of the men and left with critical head injuries, the Suddeutsche Zeitung reported.

Her parents made the decision to switch off her life support on Friday after doctors told them she would never regain consciousness and declared her brain dead. It was her 23rd birthday.

Tugce, who was of Turkish descent, is being hailed as a hero across Germany, with thousands of people joining candlelit vigils in her honour outside the restaurant where she confronted the attackers and around the country.

Many held signs in German saying “Danke (thank you) Tugce”, while others wore T-shirts in Turkish that said “Seni seviyoruz” – “we love you”.

A petition signed by more than 50,000 people called for the German President, Joachim Gauck, to posthumously award her the national order of merit.

Saying he would consider the honour, the President wrote a letter of condolence to Tugce’s family.

Calling her a role model for the nation, Mr Gauck said: “Like countless citizens, I am shocked and appalled by this terrible act. Tugce has earned gratitude and respect from us all.

“She will always remain a role model to us, our entire country mourns with you.

“Where other people looked the other way, Tugce showed exemplary courage and moral fortitude.”

Her suspected attacker, aged 18, is being held in custody.