Patel leading call for probe into actions of Met at vigil

Home Secretary Priti Patel and London mayor Sadiq Khan have called for an independent investigation into the Metropolitan Police’s actions at a vigil in memory of Sarah Everard.

Ms Patel asked the chief inspector of constabulary to conduct a “lessons learned” review after officers clashed with crowds who gathered to remember the 33-year-old on Clapham Common.

The home secretary spoke with the under-fire Metropolitan Police Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick yesterday, having received her report into the events on Saturday night.

But “in the interest of confidence in policing” Ms Patel asked Sir Thomas Winsor to conduct an independent review into what happened, a government source told the PA news agency.

A Home Office spokesman said Ms Patel felt there were “still questions to be answered”.

It came as Mr Khan said he would be asking HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and the Independent Office for Police Conduct to look into the events.

The mayor said the scenes at the vigil were “completely unacceptable” despite having received assurances from Scotland Yard last week that the vigil would be policed “sensitively”.

He said: “I asked the commissioner and deputy commissioner to come into City Hall today to give me an explanation of yesterday’s events and the days leading up to them. I am not satisfied with the explanation they have provided.

“I will now be asking Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) to conduct a full independent investigation of events yesterday evening and in previous days. I am also asking the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) to investigate the actions of police officers yesterday evening.

“It is vital that these events are not allowed to undermine the powerful calls since Sarah’s murder for meaningful action to finally stop men inflicting violence on women.

“It was clear before yesterday that there isn’t adequate trust and confidence from women and girls in the police and criminal justice system more widely. Further steps must now be taken to address this.”

Dame Cressida is facing calls to resign after the clashes in which her force’s officers were seen grabbing several women and leading them away in handcuffs.

The Metropolitan Police later said four people were arrested for public order and coronavirus regulation breaches.

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey called on Dame Cressida to resign, while Women’s Equality Party co-founder Catherine Mayer said her position was “untenable”.

Hundreds of people converged on the park despite an official vigil being called off earlier in the day due to warnings over restrictions.

LESSONS: A large crowd of people holding placards in Parliament Square.