A #ReclaimTheseStreets solidarity vigil due to be held in Margate tonight (March 13) has been cancelled with organisers urging people to take to their doorsteps at 6pm instead.
The vigil follows the death of Sarah Everard whose body was found in Great Chart after a large police operation.
Sarah had been at a friend’s house in Clapham on the evening of Wednesday, 3 March. At approximately 9pm she left and began walking to her home address in Brixton. She had not been seen or heard from since then and a police operation was mounted. On March 9 officers arrested a man at an address in Deal in connection with the disappearance of Sarah
The man, named as Wayne Couzens, is a serving Metropolitan Police officer. He has since been charged with the kidnap and murder of Sarah and is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court today.
The 48-year-old served in the Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Command.
A woman aged in her 30s, who was arrested at the same time on suspicion of assisting an offender, has been released on bail to return to a police station on a date in mid-April.
The investigation continues and is being led by Specialist Crime Command detectives who are drawing on expertise and skills from hundreds of colleagues across the Met. They are also being supported by Kent Police.
Following the arrest many women spoke out on social media about safety fears. A vigil had been due to take place at Clapham Common bandstand in south London but Met Police reversed its position on allowing the event to go ahead due to covid restrictions. A court challenge by organisers failed and vigils across the country have now been cancelled.
Organisers of the vigil in Margate say: “This vigil is cancelled in line with the ruling from the high court. We are disappointed and saddened that we are prevented from being in the community at this time, but we must respect the guidance and not risk anyone’s financial or legal position by going ahead.
So sad about her loss, what’s the world coming to when you can’t trust the police! We’ve had loads of Met Police in the Holiday Inn opposite me in Minster for weeks on courses or conferences I think… or maybe because of the lorry park.
What do you mean “can’t trust the police”? The police have identified and arrested the alleged perpetrator in a matter of a few days.
Thank goodness that the organisers of these events have urged people to hold “virtual” vigils. It would have been tragic had loads of people turned up to a gathering, some caught CV, and some died as a consequence.
Maybe someone can explain why a vigil is being organised for Sarah, but not for the other hundreds of women (and even more men) murdered every year?
…the Police knew about this man and his behaviour three days before he was allowed to find her and murder her. In other News, Police launch an “Urgent” hunt for a missing 15yr old girl. Missing for two weeks. Last seen in her pyjamas, let that sink in and then remember how much you trust the Police when you vote for their Police and Crime Commissioners on May 6th.
hahahah yer a wally Gary, said hagrid.
concerned.
You get corrupt/sick people in every job. The majority of police officers do not do anything of this nature. You can actually trust the police a lot more now than in the ‘good old days’ when interviews would be conducted without a solicitor being allowed present-even with adults with the mental age of a child, interviews not recorded on tape & then statements rewritten, physical violence used to extract confessions, sleep deprivation, putting salt in prisoners food, evidence planted/interfered with etc.
They’re not the met. They’re local police. Met have no remit here. They’re London based.
Unfortunately the tragic loss of Sarah‘s life has given groups of people the excuse to get onto yet another bandwagon in the week it was suggested by a lady in the House of Lords that all men should be under curfew at 6 pm at night !!!!! it doesn’t matter how many candles you light how many flowers you give and how many bandwagon you want to jump on none of them will bring Sarah back the circumstances of this case seem to be completely beyond Belief it’s not only you shocked the whole of the police forces for across the UK it’s shocked everyone else it’s ruined families it’s ruin the accused families it’s ruined children’s lives it’s done so much damage The accused hates himself more than anybody and sounds as if he’s trying to kill himself which I suspect he will do in due course.
Yeah, that bandwagon of believing that women shouldn’t be afraid to walk the streets after dark.
You seem to have missed the irony of someone suggesting men can’t go out alone after 6pm, while a huge number of women don’t feel safe to do so.
Wow, sympathising with the perp there Bill.
EWWW.
Bill, sweetie – The woman who said this wasn’t serious about the 6pm curfew. It was to highlight how ridiculous it was to have told women to stay at home.
I have to agree with Andrew, this dreadful tragedy has broken my heart as well, but not as much as that for the family, and close friends involved. There are always bad apples in every organisation, but in this case I am surprised at the speed and efficiency the police were able to find, and apprehend the suspect! I can only assume they were able to trace his movements via his phone, which would have recorded where he had been! Its been reported this morning the suspect has again smashed his head against the door of his cell, presumably in an effort to get hospitalised which would make it easier to escape from! He is back in his cell, and hopefully tranquilised/sedated so he doesn’t hurt himself to the extent he can’t stand trial!
“smashed his own head against the door of his cell”
Yeah, if you believe that, I’ve got deeds to a famous new york bridge to sell you…
No number of vigils is going to stop the ferral scum that vandalize property and attack inocent people.It is going to government action to provide more police ,CCTVs,more proactive action on anti social gatherings in parks,town centres etc.
It is not only women that feel unsafe on the streets after dark.Men do,too.
Most men are decent, law abiding people.It is the small minority vermin that help women demonize men ,as a whole.Men attack more men,than women.Women attack women and men.
Once this terrible news has subsided, we will forget and just continue allowing the scum of society to have control of the streets,parks etc,at night.
what do you want to do in a park at night, that you can’t do now Eric?
Notice in your paragraph tirade here, that the common aggressors in attacks on women and men, is men?
“What do you want to do in a park at night,that you can’t do now?”
I want to be able to walk through a park or common at night,without fear.
I thought that was obvious,conserned.
Everyone’s talking as if violent crime is something new. Did you know that street lighting was installed in Garlinge because a policeman got badly beaten at night… back in Edwardian times!
I certainly wouldn’t have walked through a park at night even 40 years ago.
Had this woman of stuck to the COVID rules, and not been visiting her friend some 50 minute walk away, she would be alive today.
You’re allowed to visit your support bubble, ya nause.
No, Sarah would still be alive if a MAN had not murdered her. That’s the truth. Nothing to do with what she was doing or where she was.
Sarah would be alive today had this man not murdered her. The fact she was walking home is irrelevant. She isn’t the problem here. Her murderer is.
No one has yet been found guilty of this murder.