London London/Sputnik: Police in London clashed with people who gathered at a vigil on Saturday to commemorate Sarah Everard and call for changes that will keep others safe, hours after a police officer had been charged with killing the woman, media reported.
According to The Guardian, protesters held signs that read "She was just walking home" and "We are the 97 percent," in reference to a recent investigation by UN Women UK that found 97 percent of women had been sexually harassed in the country.
Despite the vigil being canceled due to police refusing to issue a permit, mourners gathered to commemorate Everard's death at Clapham Common at 6 p.m. local time.
Officers told the crowd to disperse and started threatening to arrest those refusing to comply, even though the gathering was peaceful and attendees were following COVID-19 safety guidelines.
After violent confrontations broke out at least one woman was handcuffed and taken away.
Priti Patel, the home secretary, and Sadiq Khan, the London mayor, both said to be waiting for an explanation from the Metropolitan Police.
Everard, a 33-year-old marketing executive, disappeared as she walked home on the evening of March 3. Her body was found hidden in a builder's bag in an area of woodland in Ashford, Kent on Wednesday.
Metropolitan Police officer Wayne Couzens, 48, was charged with the murder and kidnap of the woman and appeared in court on Saturday morning.
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