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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
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Crowds gather in Clapham to pay tribute to Sarah Everard

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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

Make kerb-crawling illegal, says Harman

Campaigners are calling for kerb-crawling to be made illegal under more circumstances.

Under the 2003 Sexual Offences act, kerb-crawling – driving alongside someone who is walking down the pavement, often with the intention of engaging in sexual activity – is illegal when done to solicit a prostitute.

However, campaigners are fighting to make it illegal in more circumstances, with Labour MP Harriet Harman describing the fact that schoolgirls experienced predatory kerb crawling as “absolutely frightening”.

Kerb crawling should become criminal offence, Harriet Harman says

Senior MP says upcoming Police Bill gives an opportunity for change
Peter Stubley13 March 2021 23:55
4 years ago

This liveblog has now ended. Thanks for reading.

Peter Stubley14 March 2021 00:06

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