Police in London have angered many people by intervening during a rally in memory of the murdered British Sarah Everard. London mayor Sadiq Khan also called the police action “unacceptable”.
The recent murder of 33-year-old Everard, of whom an agent is suspected, has sparked a wave of anger and outrage over violence against women. Police had warned in advance that a memorial or protest meeting was against the corona measures. A vigil announced for Saturday at a memorial site for Everard in south London was canceled by the organizers.
But it didn’t stop people from paying tribute and drawing attention to women’s ongoing fear of sexual harassment and street assault. Kate Middleton, the wife of the British Prince William, also visited the memorial site during the day.
In the evening it was getting busier and the police intervened. Images show that it came to collisions between police and demonstrators. Some women have been ground to the ground by the police and some of them have been arrested.
“Response was inappropriate and disproportionate at times”
“The police have a responsibility to enforce the Covid measures, but footage I have seen shows that the reaction was inappropriate and disproportionate at times,” London Mayor Sadiq Khan wrote on Twitter. Khan says he is in contact with the police commissioner. Interior Minister Priti Patel also called the images “disturbing”.
The scenes from Clapham Common are unacceptable. The police have a responsibility to enforce Covid laws but from images I’ve seen it’s clear the response was at times neither appropriate nor proportionate. I’m contact with the Commissioner & urgently seeking an explanation.
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