LONDON – A scuffle between London’s Metropolitan Police officers and vigilantes for a murdered woman has drawn widespread criticism for pressure from Spectrum activists and politicians.
Hundreds of people gathered in a park in south London on Saturday to pay tribute to 33-year-old Sarah Averad, whose disappearance and death had gripped the country and sparked a national dialogue on violence against women.
Wayne Cousins, an elite officer with the London Metropolitan Police’s Diplomatic Defense Order, was charged with murder on Friday.
Awareness was organized on Saturday by the women’s rights group, Reclaim on the Streets, but the incident was canceled when a judge refused to intervene in a legal challenge to their right to assemble during coronavirus sanctions. In the UK only two people from different homes are allowed to meet in public space while bars, restaurants and most stores remain closed.
However, hundreds of people appeared in the park. Many brought flowers and some catchy signs: “She was just going home.” Among them was Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge.
As the sunshine was waning, the previously peaceful morale was restored and police officers caught several women in the crowd, dragging them away.
Helen Bole, assistant commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, said in a statement early Sunday morning that some people in the crowd were outraged at the police officers patrolling the scene, shouting and shouting at minority minority officers.
Four people were arrested.
Ball Lay added, “We didn’t want to be in a situation where enforcement was needed.” “But we have been placed in this position because of the need for overriding to protect the safety of the people.”
But the police action was immediately criticized.
London’s Labor Party mayor Sadiq Khan said on Twitter that officials at the rally were responsible for enforcing the Covid-19 ban, making it clear that his response was “not timely or proportionate.”
UK Conservative Home Secretary Preeti Patel said in a statement that she had made the demand. Full report What happened on the force.
On Twitter, the leader of the opposition Liberal Democrats, Ed Davy, called the ball’s comments Tone deaf. “Doubling” was not the right response, he said.
Streets said in a reclaimed statement that they were “deeply saddened and outraged” by the police’s response, adding that the force should understand that women needed space to reflect, show solidarity and mourn Everward’s death.
On March, a marketing executive disappeared while walking home from a friend’s house. His body was found Wednesday in the Woodland area of Kent, miles0 miles southeast of London.
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Her disappearance came as a shock to the nation and thousands of women took to social media to reach out to talk about harassment, safety issues and the failure of the criminal justice system to prosecute crimes against women.
A recent report by the UN Women for Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment found that more than 100 per cent of women of all ages in the UK have experienced some form of sexual harassment in public.
The award case has resonated with women around the world because what happened to her was the worst case scenario, recall Jamie Klinger of The Streets told NBC News on Saturday.
“It’s the absolute danger that you will be able to do everything right and end up in a bad situation, because one person has done this violence on you,” he added.
The report is contributed by the Associated Press and Reuters.
Molly Hunter Contributed.
