Hundreds join ‘peaceful, emotional’ vigil for Sarah
Around 200 people attended a vigil for Sarah Everard in Bath at the weekend, which was “peaceful” and “moving”.
Pictures show women and men standing at a distance on the Royal Crescent on Saturday to remember Sarah, who disappeared in Clapham on March 3 while she walked home.
The marketing executive’s family paid tribute to the “bright and beautiful” woman, saying she was a “wonderful daughter and sister”, last week.
A police officer is due to go on trial in the autumn charged with her kidnap and murder.
Pc Wayne Couzens, 48, is accused of snatching the 33-year-old as she walked home from a friend’s flat in Clapham, south London.
Vigils for Sarah have been held across the UK and many paid their respects by lighting candles on their doorsteps.
Tina Johnston, who attended the vigil at the Royal Crescent, said: “The one in Bath was very respectful and peaceful. It only lasted about 20 minutes and was so moving with the three-minute silence.
“It wasn’t organised by any one person and was a lovely thing to do in memory of Sarah. It was very emotional to see women and men standing together paying their respects.”
A vigil was also held in Bristol, where Avon and Somerset Police officers allowed people to pay their respects.
A vigil at Clapham Common on Saturday, however, ended with several women arrested.
There was outrage on social media when videos emerged from the gathering in London, with police appearing to physically restrain some of the women who attended.
Home Secretary Priti Patel described the footage as “upsetting”, while Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said the scenes were “unacceptable”.
The Met Police’s assistant commissioner Helen Ball said enforcement action was “necessary” because “hundreds of people were packed tightly together, posing a very real risk of easily transmitting Covid”.
Under the current lockdown rules, the only reasons for meeting in large groups include work, education, or for a funeral or wedding.
Earlier this week in Parliament, Bath MP Wera Hobhouse defended the right to protest, arguing that new laws proposed in the Policing, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill were an “assault on our civil liberties”.
The MP highlighted the problems with this legislation in light of the response to the Clapham Common vigil. She said: “Instead of a moment for reflection on the daily injustices faced by women, this weekend was a powerful reminder of the importance of our civil liberties and the right to protest.”
She voted against the new law at its second reading.
Following the speech given in the House of Commons, she said: “I have received many, many emails this week about these deeply sinister proposed changes to our protesting laws, from concerned residents in Bath. This law aims to silence protest, quite literally.
“It is a thinly veiled reaction to the climate protests that have taken place over the past couple of years. The climate emergency has evoked strong feelings, particularly among young people, and it would be quite wrong to curtail their voices.
“The whole purpose of demonstrations is to have your voice heard and peaceful protest is at the heart of a liberal democracy.
“If the Government was serious about protecting women from violence, it would never attempt to silence their protest. This part of the Bill must go.”