Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

As it happenedended
4 years ago

Sarah Everard vigil: Priti Patel demands full report after Metropolitan Police’s ‘upsetting’ response

Follow updates as police try to break up gatherings across UK

Bethany Dawson,Sam Hancock,Peter Stubley
Saturday 13 March 2021 19:09 EST
Comments
Crowds gather in Clapham to pay tribute to Sarah Everard

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Priti Patel has demanded a full report from the Metropolitan Police over what she described as “upsetting” scenes at a vigil for Sarah Everard.

Hundreds of people gathered at Clapham Common to pay tribute despite police warnings that it was “unsafe” for them to be there due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Footage posted to social media showed officers dragging a row of women away from the bandstand on the common, which has been filled with flowers for Ms Everard. Another photograph captured a young woman being restrained face down on a floor by two police officers.

Members of the crowd could be heard shouting “shame on you” and “you are scum” after the brief clash, while one woman screamed “you’re supposed to protect us”.

The scenes were widely criticised by MPs from all parties, including Labour leader Keir Starmer and Lib Dem leader Ed Davey, who said Met Police Commissioner Cressida Dick should consider resigning.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan described the incident as “unacceptable” and said he would be seeking an explanation from the commissioner personally.

A string of MPs, including Labour’s shadow equalities minister Charlotte Nichols, said officers should have “put the resources” into assisting Reclaim These Streets to create a Covid-safe event rather than “stopping any collective show of grief”. Lib Dem MP Wera Hobhouse posted a video of officers handling women, asking: “Is this really 21st century Britain? What is our police doing?”

The Reclaim These Streets group, which had called off its planned vigil because of police opposition, said the government and police had “failed women again, in the most destructive way”.

The group said: “The Metropolitan failed to work with us despite the High Court ruling yesterday that a vigil could potentially go ahead lawfully. In doing so they created a risky and unsafe situation.”

4 years ago

Sir Keir: ‘Violence against women is still far too common'

The leader of the Labour Party has joined the virtual vigil for Sarah Everard, saying he will light a candle in her honour this evening.

Sam Hancock13 March 2021 19:57
4 years ago

Images emerge from Clapham Common as one woman arrested

People gather to lay flowers and pay their respects at a vigil on Clapham Common
People gather to lay flowers and pay their respects at a vigil on Clapham Common (Getty)
A woman holds up a placard, which reads ‘Sarah Everard, RIP’
A woman holds up a placard, which reads ‘Sarah Everard, RIP’ (Getty)
As day turns to night, members of the public gather for the vigil at the bandstand on Clapham Common
As day turns to night, members of the public gather for the vigil at the bandstand on Clapham Common (Getty Images)
A woman is arrested during the vigil
A woman is arrested during the vigil (Getty)
Members of the public shout during the event where chants of ‘let her speak’ and ‘she was going home’ could be heard
Members of the public shout during the event where chants of ‘let her speak’ and ‘she was going home’ could be heard (Getty)
Sam Hancock13 March 2021 20:06
4 years ago

MPs hit out at ‘heavy-handed’ police following Clapham vigil violence

A string of female MPs have criticised the Metropolitan Police force for using a “heavy-handed physical response” following clashes between officers and crowd members at the Clapham memorial gathering for Sarah Everard.

Labour’s shadow minister for women and equalities Charlotte Nichols said officers should have “put the resources” into assisting Reclaim These Streets to create a Covid-safe event rather than “stopping any collective show of grief”.

Meanwhile, the Lib Dems’ Wera Hobhouse asked: “Is this really 21st century Britain? What is our police doing?”

She posted footage of police officers physically removing women from the bandstand at Clapham Common, where the vigil was being held.

Sam Hancock13 March 2021 20:18
4 years ago

Birmingham vigil gets underway with dozens of attendees

Birmingham’s vigil is also underway, where one woman addressed the crowd to say everyone who “came out” despite police advice not to “should all be really proud that we have stood our ground”.

“One of the reasons I am here today is not just to acknowledge the tragic, awful thing that happened to Sarah, but also the countless women who are going to be dying because of the system,” she said.

Attendees lit candles and laid them at the foot of a tree in Victoria Square, to which signs had been fixed reading “I am Sarah Everard” and “Male violence is for men to fix”.

Sam Hancock13 March 2021 20:35
4 years ago

Lib Dem leader berates police for causing ‘great harm and upset'

Sam Hancock13 March 2021 20:50
4 years ago

‘At least three arrested,’ claims bystander at Clapham event

At least three people were arrested at Clapham Common this evening, according to one woman who was there.

Independent legal observer Zehrah Hasan, of Black Protest Legal Support, said she witnessed “three young women” being “violently arrested” by Metropolitan Police officers.

Taking to Twitter, Ms Hasan said “the level of police violence today was immense”.

Police are yet to confirm how many arrests were made at the vigil.

Sam Hancock13 March 2021 20:57
4 years ago

‘Unspeakable scenes’, says anti-lockdown Tory MP

Tory MP Steve Baker, a vocal opponent of lockdown restrictions, has urged Boris Johnson to “change lockdown law now” as he described the scenes at Clapham as “unspeakable”.

Footage shows police pulling several young women away from the vigil on the bandstand.

Peter Stubley13 March 2021 21:11
4 years ago

Starmer criticises police response as ‘deeply disturbing'

Labour leader Keir Starmer has described the scenes at Clapham Common as “deeply disturbing”.

He added: “Women came together to mourn Sarah Everard - they should have been able to do so peacefully. I share their anger and upset at how this has been handled. This was not the way to police this protest.”

Many public figures have expressed shock at photos of one of the demonstrators being restrained by police on the floor.

Peter Stubley13 March 2021 21:25
4 years ago

‘I don’t want to see any of these women in court'

Labour MP Harriet Harman has said the Metropolitan Police should have reached an agreement on how to safely hold the vigil in Clapham.

She tweeted: “Met mishandled vigil plan from the outset. They should have reached agreement. Terrible scenes in Clapham. I don’t want to see any of these women in court.”

Peter Stubley13 March 2021 21:42
4 years ago

Shadow home secretary ‘angry’ about policing of vigil

Shadow home secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds described the scenes in Clapham as “deeply distressing”.

“I share the anger there is about the policing of this and lessons need to be learned,” he tweeted. “People should have been able to mark this moment peacefully and safely. This is a national moment for change.

“Women across the country have shared powerful testimonies of unacceptable abuse and the desperate, long overdue, need for change. We need to find a way for people to show solidarity safely, and in a Covid-safe way.

“At the heart of this we should also keep at the forefront of our minds the anguish that Sarah Everard’s family must be going through and prioritise finding ways to support them.”

Peter Stubley13 March 2021 21:53

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in