Police detain a woman at the Sarah Everard vigil on Clapham Common, London. /Hannah McKay/Reuters
London's Metropolitan Police force is facing widespread criticism after officers arrested members of the crowd gathered at Clapham Common, in the south of the capital, to mourn the death of Sarah Everard.
The 33 year-old was abducted on her way home on March 3 in the streets of the UK capital and murdered. Her body was found in woodland in Kent, south east of London.
The official "Reclaim These Streets" events was canceled on the day after organizers couldn't obtain a permit from the police, something that was perceived by many women as an attempt to silence their voices.
But a crowd turned up anyway on site at 6 p.m. when the vigil was expected to start, fueled by the anger and frustration the case has sparked among women in the UK.
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People react at a memorial site in Clapham Common Bandstand, following the kidnap and murder of Sarah Everard, in London. /Hannah McKay/Reuters
"It feels like we finally have people's attention, so it was important for me to be here in spite of the ban [on the vigil] and honor Sarah's memory," one of the mourners, Hannah, 29, told Reuters.
"Groping, insults, being followed – literally every woman I know has experienced this," she added.
Masked mourners, predominantly women, were holding candles and carrying flowers around the bandstand in Clapham Common, less than a kilometer from the house of the friend Sarah Everard was visiting on the day she disappeared. Earlier in the afternoon Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, came to pay her respects and inspect the tributes.
As the crowd swelled during the evening, some of the women were crying, some were silent. Some chanted "sisters united will never be defeated," but as a woman made a speech to honor the victim and to express the collective anger felt through the crowd over the treatment of women and girls, police made their way to the bandstand, trampling flowers and tributes to the murdered woman.
People hold candles as they gather at a memorial site at the Clapham Common Bandstand. /Hannah McKay/Reuters
Video footage from the event shows peaceful mourners booing at the police and saying "shame on you" as officers handcuffed and manhandled women, in an attempt to disperse the crowd. Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Helen Ball said four people were arrested for public order offences and breaches of the Health Protection Regulations.
"We're not threatening anyone, we just want to pay our respects to Sarah," Laura, 24, one of the mourners at the scene, told Reuters.
A mourner faces police officers at the vigil in Clapham Common, south London. /Dylan Martinez/Reuters
Police attempt to move mourners during the vigil. /Hannah McKay/Reuters
Police handcuff a woman at the Sarah Everard vigil. /Hannah McKay/Reuters
An outpouring of criticism of the police followed the event, with both Home Secretary Priti Patel and London mayor Sadiq Khan asking for explanations from the Metropolitan Police over the handling of the vigil.
Opposition Labour leader Keir Starmer called the scenes "deeply disturbing" and Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey called for Metropolitan Police chief Cressida Dick to resign, having "lost the confidence of millions of women in London."
The local police force defended itself, saying the gathering was unsafe according to COVID-19 restrictions. "We were placed in this position because of the overriding need to protect people's safety," said Ball in a statement.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his partner Carrie Symonds lit a candle at the doorstep of Downing Street as part of the virtual memorial to mark the last time Sarah Everard was seen, before her kidnap and murder. /Hannah McKay/Reuters
While the police were clashing with mourners at Clapham Common, many other initiatives to honor Sarah Everard's memory were taking place across the country. At 9.30 p.m., many – including Prime Minister Boris Johnson – lit candles in front of their doorsteps to remember Everard.
"I cannot imagine how unbearable their pain and grief is. We must work fast to find all the answers to this horrifying crime," Johnson tweeted.
"I will do everything I can to make sure the streets are safe and ensure women and girls do not face harassment or abuse."
A woman brings flowers to the memorial site at the Clapham Common Bandstand. /Dylan Martinez/Reuters
Mourners and protesters gathered at Clapham Common on Saturday. /Hannah McKay/Reuters
Sarah Everard's case has forced the UK to a national reckoning over women's safety in public spaces, with thousands of women sharing their experiences of feeling unsafe and being harassed in the country.
A recent survey produced by UN Women UK and reported by The Guardian shows that 80 percent of women in the country had been sexually harassed in public spaces, while this number peaked at 97 percent for women aged between 18 and 24.
Serving police officer Wayne Couzens, 48, was arrested in connection with the kidnap and murder of Sarah Everard and appeared in court on Saturday for his first hearing, where he was remanded in custody.