Hot clashes between police and mourners erupted in south London on Saturday night as a crowd of people defied the city’s coronavirus closure order to mourn the alleged murder of Sarah Everard earlier this month.
What began as a peaceful protest in the Clapham Common neighborhood became controversial hours after Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, visited the memorial to pay tribute to the 33-year-old marketing manager, who was allegedly killed when she walked home earlier this month.
Participants apparently started shouting “Shame on you!” to the police who tried to break the vigilance, which was in spite of a major ban on gatherings.
Some in the crowd held signs with messages such as: ‘We will not be silenced’, ‘We live in fear’ and ‘Women’s rights are human rights’, while others uttered slogans against the police. A police officer has been charged in Everard’s alleged murder.
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Officers have been sharply criticized after images surfaced of police aggressively ‘man-dealing’ and handcuffed troublemakers over the night vigil.
On videos, officers were seen wrestling with participants as they pushed their way through the crowd. At one point, several male officers grabbed several women and pulled them away in handcuffs to shout and scream from bystanders, the British Association reported.
“Disturbing scenes last night at Clapham Common,” tweeted Diane Abbott, a lawmaker. “Women on a peaceful vigil over male violence are being violently treated and handcuffed by police officers.”
Priti Patel, the British secretary of the United Kingdom, said she had asked the Metropolitan Police for a “full report on what had happened”, and some called on Police Commissioner Cressida Dick to resign, according to ‘ a reporter for ITV News in London.
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“The scenes from Clapham Common are unacceptable,” tweeted Sadiq Khan, mayor of London. “The police have the responsibility to enforce Covid laws, but from images I have seen it is clear that the response has sometimes been inappropriate or proportionate. I am in contact with the commissioner and urgently seeking an explanation. ”
Four people were reportedly arrested during the vigil.
Scotland Yard defended the actions of the officers, saying they were ‘placed in a position where needed’, due to the threat of the virus, reports the Evening Standard in London.
The police assistant commissioner said in a statement that the officers had a “very difficult decision” during the vigil. “Hundreds of people were tightly packed, which carries a very high risk of sending Covid-19 out easily. The police must act for the safety of people. That is the only responsible thing to do. The pandemic is not over yet. ‘and people from all over London have not met. and further, are still not safe.’
She continued, “We absolutely did not want to be in a position where enforcement action was needed. But we were placed in this position because of the urgent need to protect people’s safety.” She adds to the vast majority of participants who left after talking to officers.
Everard was allegedly abducted and killed after leaving a friend’s home in the area around 3 p.m. A police officer in London has been charged with her murder after her body was found about 50km away in Kent on Friday.
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The killings attracted international attention and raised awareness about violence against women and the dangers they sometimes face in everyday activities such as walking down the street.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.