‘You’re Supposed To Protect Us’ : The World Reacts To The Police Response At The Vigil Held In Honour Of Sarah Everard

A vigil designed to honour Sarah Everard, the 33-year-old London woman who was kidnapped and murdered, ended with multiple arrests on Saturday night after police broke up the Clapham event. The Metropolitan Police has been widely criticised for its response to the peaceful event, and videos showing officers dragging and pushing women before handcuffing them, whilst onlookers shouted 'Let them go' and 'You're supposed to protect us', have caused widespread outrage.

Home Secretary Priti Patel has asked the Met for a report on what happened, while London Mayor Sadiq Khan said he was 'urgently seeking an explanation' from Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick. Police have said four arrests were made at the vigil to 'protect people's safety.

A tweet posted by activist group Sisters Uncut alleged 'male police officers waited for the sun to set before they started grabbing and manhandling women in the crowd'.

Twitter user Ahmed Kaballo wrote, 'Tensions are high because #Sarah was allegedly murdered by a metropolitan police officer so you would think they would handle this vigil with some sensitivity.'

The planned vigil organised by Reclaim These Streets was originally scheduled to take place on Saturday at 6pm in the centre of Clapham Common with strict Covid-19 safety guidelines in place. However, after event organisers said police failed to 'constructively engage' on how to could be held under Covid restrictions, organisers have now asked people to hold a doorstep vigil at 21.30GMT - the time Sarah was last seen - and shine a light, torch, candle or phone in memory of Sarah.

However, many people gathered at the scene regardless to lay flowers and mourn Sarah's death - including Kate Middleton, The Duchess of Cambridge, who arrived at the Clapham bandstand on Saturday afternoon to lay a bunch of flowers and read some of the cards left at the memorial. A spokesperson for Kensington Palace said: '[Kate Middleton] wanted to pay her respects to the family and to Sarah. She remembers what is was like to walk around London at night before she was married.'

Disappointment has been aired over the fact that the original vigil didn't go ahead as planned - something which the organisers claimed the Met Police were not willing to cooperate on. ''We have been in discussions with the Metropolitan Police since day one of planning today’s vigil. Following yesterday’s hearing, we continued those discussions, and repeatedly tried to find a way forward for the event,' reads the latest post on the Facebook event for the London vigil,' read a post on the Facebook page for Reclaim The Streets.

'At our meeting yesterday evening we made many suggestions, including staggering start times, splitting the event into time slots, and several other ideas to accommodate police concerns - as well as asking the police for their own suggestions. We have made every effort to reach a positive outcome that applies proportionality, so that we could find an appropriate balance between our right as women to freedom of assembly and expression with the regulations set out in Covid regulations.

''We have been very disappointed that given the many opportunities to engage with organisers constructively, the Metropolitan Police have been unwilling to commit to anything. While we have had positive discussions with the Lambeth officers present, those from Scotland Yard would not engage with our suggestions to help ensure that a legal, Covid-secure vigil could take place.

'It remains our view that with the appropriate mutually agreed measures in place, this evening’s vigil on Clapham Common would have been safe and in line with restrictions and safety regulations.'

Organisers have urged people to send donations to a fundraiser they have set up to support women's causes around the country, with a goal of £320,000, so £10,000 for each location where a vigil was planned.

The vigil comes after human remains were found in the search for Sarah Everard – which were identified as hers two days ago– and a serving police officer is being held on suspicion of kidnap and murder in connection to the case.

Hearing the news, women shared stories online of the daily fears they face and their own experiences of male violence ranging from sexual harassment to abuse.

Side note: if you've found these particularly distressing, remember it's okay to switch off from the news cycle for awhile and prioritise your emotional wellbeing. In the Grazia UK instagram post below, you can find other ways to cope, plus ways to support the fight to end violence against women if you're feeling somewhat hopeless.

Read More:

We're Not Panicking, We're Reacting. We're Not Hysterical, We're Angry.

A Police Officer Has Been Arrested On Suspicion Of Murder In Connection With Sarah Everard's Disappearance

‘Women Are Being Chased And Stalked’: The Terrifying Rise Of Street Harassment In Lockdown