Sarah Everard vigil: Cressida Dick says she will not resign amid growing anger over police actions

Nimco Ali, the founder of The Five Foundation and independent adviser to the government on tackling violence against women, has accused Met police officers of having “behaved like abusers” in their response to Saturday’s vigil.

Speaking with Times Radio on Sunday, Ms Ali said: “Honestly, it does come from the handbook of abusive men where the fact that you’re constantly blaming the victim for your act of violence, so rather than actually taking accountability, it was more like, ‘women shouldn’t have turned up’.”

“The police had the opportunity to choose how they reacted and they reacted in a terrible...way,” she said.

She also said that she believes toxic masculinity is a major issue within policing.

“Around the world, I think toxic masculinity is a thing. I think a lot of the people that go into these kinds of roles are men that are seeking to hold...a little bit of power,” she said.

The Fire Brigades Union, which represents firefighters across the UK, has condemned the Metropolitan Police over the “violence meted out” by officers at Saturday’s vigil for Sarah.

In a statement posted on Twitter, the union condemned the scenes from last night, writing: “These grotesque displays have no place in our society”.

In a further statement from the Fire Brigades Union National Women’s Committee, police were accused of displaying “disproportionate aggression and power at a time when the world needs to see compassion, understanding and support.”

“The Fire Brigades Union National Committee stands in solidarity with the women who were manhandled, pushed to the ground, separated from their friends and arrested by the police last night. These draconian and authoritative actions have no place in a democratic society,” the statement said.

“This was a clear demonstration of the patriarchy’s inability to comprehend the reality and scope of male violence against women and girls,” it continued.

The committee called for those “responsible for the decisions to approach this vigil in such a way” to be “held accountable”.

“The right to peaceful protest is a keystone of democracy and we call upon anyone who values the freedoms of a civil society to speak against the attempts to curtail these freedoms and limit our right to be heard,” the statement said.

Appearing to take aim at a government bill that would see police given new powers to impose conditions on protests and public processions, the committee said: “Last night demonstrated that allowing police to lead the response and set the level of restriction to peaceful protest would be a catastrophic mistake.”

London Mayor Sadiq Khan has reportedly called for an independent investigation into the way the Met Police responded to last night’s vigil for Sarah.

On Sunday, he said he was “not satisfied” with the explanation that the Met Police have provided, according to reports from LBC and ITV.

“I asked the Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner to come into City Hall today to give me an explanation of yesterday’s events and the days leading up to them. I am not satisfied with the explanation they have provided,” he has reportedly said.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has said he was assured last week by the Metropolitan Police that Saturday’s vigil would be “police sensitively”.

“In my view, this was not the case,” he said in a statement calling for an independent investigation into the Met Police’s response to the vigil held for Sarah Everard.

“The scenes arising from the policing of the vigil for Sarah Everard held on Clapham Common last night were completely unacceptable. My thoughts remain with Sarah’s family at this awful time,” he said in a statement published by PA. “I can completely understand why women, girls and allies wanted to hold a vigil to remember Sarah and all women who have been subjected to violence or lost their lives at the hands of men, and to reclaim the public spaces where women are made to feel so unsafe.”

“Last week I called on the Government and police to work with the organisers of the vigil to clarify the law and find a way for it to take place legally and safely. On Friday a High Court judge made clear there was a window to agree a way for a vigil to go ahead safely,” he noted.

“I received assurances from the Metropolitan Police last week that the vigil would be policed sensitively. In my view, this was not the case,” he said.

Mr Khan said he had asked Commissioner Cressida Dick and Deputy Commissioner Helen Ball to visit City Hall today to give him an “explanation of yesterday’s events and the days leading up to them”.

“I am not satisfied with the explanation they have provided,” he said.

“I will now be asking Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary to conduct a full independent investigation of events yesterday evening and in previous days,” he said. “I am also asking the Independent Office for Police Conduct to investigate the actions of police officers yesterday evening.”

“It is vital that these events are not allowed to undermine the powerful calls since Sarah’s murder for meaningful action to finally stop men inflicting violence on women,” Mr Khan added. “It was clear before yesterday that there isn’t adequate trust and confidence from women and girls in the police and criminal justice system more widely. Further steps must now be taken to address this.”

Home Secretary Priti Patel has reportedly asked Sir Thomas Winsor, Chief Inspector of Constabulary, to carry out a review of the Met Police’s response to Saturday’s vigil for Sarah.

Citing a government source, the Press Association said said the review would be a “lessons learned” analysis of the events that took place.

It comes as London Mayor Sadiq Khan has said he will be asking Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary to “conduct a full independent investigation of events yesterday evening and in previous days”.

He further said he was asking the Independent Office for Police Conduct to “investigate the actions of police officers yesterday evening”.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan has outlined next steps for investigations into the police response to Saturday’s vigil.

Mr Khan said he is requesting multiple reviews after being left “not satisfied” with an explanation for officers’ actions from Met Police Commissioner Cressida Dick.

Political correspondent Ashley Cowburn has the story here:

Home Secretary Priti Patel feels there are “still questions to be answered” following the Met Police’s explanation of its response to Saturday’s vigil, a Home Office spokesperson has said.

In a statement, a spokesperson said: “The Home Secretary has read the report provided by the Metropolitan Police and feels there are still questions to be answered.“

“In the interests of ensuring public confidence in the police, earlier this afternoon the Home Secretary asked Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary to conduct a lessons learned review into the policing of the event at Clapham Common,” they said.

Demonstrators have begun to make their way to a vigil being held outside Scotland Yard on Sunday to demand an end to sexual harassment and violence against women, as well as to condemn the Met Police’s response to Saturday’s vigil held in Clapham Common for Sarah Everard.

On Sunday afternoon, attendees could be seen making their way to Scotland Yard, with many carrying signs.

Crowds have formed outside Scotland Yard, where women, nonbinary people and allies have gathered to call for an end to sexual harassment and violence against women and to condemn the Met Police’s response to a vigil for Sarah Everard yesterday.

“Sisters United will never be defeated,” protesters chanted in video captured by The Independent’s Women’s Correspondent Maya Oppenheim.

Many could be seen carrying signs, with some calling to “abolish police” in the wake of Saturday’s events.

Some police officers could be seen standing outside the crowd.

You can follow Maya on Twitter for further updates:

The Met Police have put out a message urging people “not to gather in numbers” as crowds made their way to Scotland Yard to speak out against sexual harassment and violence against women and to condemn the police force’s response to Saturday’s vigil.

“We know there are groups looking to attend further events across London today,” the Met Police said in a tweet.

“We understand the strength of feeling but we remain in a health crisis,” they said. “We urge people not to gather in numbers, this is for your safety and to prevent the spread of the virus.”

It seem unlikely that the message will deter those making their way to Sunday’s demonstration, with crowds already forming outside Scotland Yard.