Clashes with the police as the crowd gathers to honor Sarah Everard

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The Metropolitan Police have faced intense criticism for their handling of a vigil in London in memory of Sarah Everard, with officers accused of “grabbing and mistreating” women during clashes with crowds.

While the vigil in Clapham, south London, was largely peaceful, skirmishes broke out in front of a crowd of hundreds as police surrounded a bandstand covered in floral tributes to the 33-year-old.

At one point, male officers could be seen grabbing several women before taking them in handcuffs, amid shouts and screams from onlookers.

In response, the crowd chanted “what a shame”, while during another confrontation a distraught woman could be heard telling officers “they are supposed to protect us.”

The clashes drew a chorus of criticism from British MPs, including Labor leader Keir Starmer, who described the scenes as “deeply disturbing”.

“Women rallied to mourn Sarah Everard, they should have been able to do it in peace,” she tweeted.

“I share your anger and disgust at how this has been handled. This was not the way to control this protest. “

Hundreds of people gathered in South London Park despite an official vigil earlier in the day being canceled due to police warnings about coronavirus restrictions.

While the Clapham clashes were taking place, many other peaceful vigils were held across the country in places like Glasgow, Nottingham, Birmingham and Bristol, despite warnings about the closure.

A virtual event was also held at 6pm in which activists called for more to be done to address violence against women.

People talk to the police as they gather at the gang stand on Clapham Common (Victoria Jones / PA)

Several female politicians expressed anger at the Met over the officers’ tactics at Clapham.

Streatham Labor MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy wrote on Twitter: “This could have been the socially estranged vigil the community needed to remember Sarah and all the women who lost their lives to violence. We knew what would happen if the event closed.

She added: “I know that Lambeth Borough officials made efforts to come to terms with the organizers, but they were rejected from above.

“They will be left to grapple with the consequences of this and the added burden this places on already strained community relations. Very disappointing of Scotland Yard “.

The Sisters Uncut campaign group, which had representatives present at the rally, stated that “the male police officers waited for the sun to set before they started grabbing and abusing the women in the crowd.”

The campaign group Reclaim These Streets, which had planned to hold the Clapham vigil before it was canceled, urged people to participate in a door-to-door vigil at 9:30 pm on Saturday.

The group said it would join with people from all over the country and “light a light, a candle, a torch, a telephone, to remember Sarah Everard and all the women affected and lost by the violence.”

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he would light a candle for Everard with his fiancee Carrie Symonds, adding that he would be thinking of the 33-year-old’s family and friends.

“I can’t imagine how excruciating her pain and pain is. We must work fast to find all the answers to this horrible crime, ”he said.

UK Home Secretary Priti Patel said she would also light a candle, adding that nearly 20,000 people had responded within 24 hours to a query on how the UK government could tackle violence against women and girls.

“That is unprecedented and we will carefully consider responses,” he tweeted.

The Duchess of Cambridge was one of the people who visited the makeshift memorial in Clapham Common on Saturday to pay their respects, and was seen stopping in front of the sea of ​​flowers.

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The Duchess of Cambridge visits the Sarah Everard memorial …



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