SKY NEWS - Mar 14, 2021 -
By Sharon Marris and Tom Acres, news reporters
Reclaim These Streets planned a Clapham Common vigil. Despite cancellation and police warnings, people were determined to attend.
Politicians from all sides have criticised police for their handling of a gathering at Clapham Common to remember Sarah Everard.
A vigil had initially been planned but it was cancelled after police said it risked breaching lockdown rules and the organisers, Reclaim These Streets, decided it could not go ahead.
But despite this, hundreds of people gathered at the common, in south London, with the Duchess of Cambridge even joining them briefly late in the afternoon.
By the evening, the sombre atmosphere turned to one of anger and protest, with scuffles as police told attendees to go home.
At one stage, police were seen grabbing hold of several women before leading them away in handcuffs, as onlookers screamed and shouted at the officers: "Shame on you."
Labour Leader Keir Starmer wrote on Twitter that the scenes were "deeply disturbing".
He added: "Women come together to mourn Sarah Everard - they should have been able to do so peacefully.
"I share their anger and upset at how this has been handled. This was not the way to police this protest."
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