The tragic murder of Sarah Everard has prompted an outpouring of grief and heartache around the world. Everard, a 33-year-old British woman, disappeared while walking in London in March 2021, and her body was found after a week-long search.
This tragedy has lead to a number of demonstrations, vigils and marches happening around the country in response to the same issue, including one held in memory of Everard in Clapham Common in London.
Unfortunately, the event took a dark turn when female protestors were arrested as the crowd dispersed. This sparked justified outrage amongst campaigners and activists and became a controversial topic in the media.
The Metropolitan Police has now publicly apologized for the arrests at the vigil and reached a settlement to pay compensation to the victims. They will also be offering to meet with the affected members of the public to apologise in person.
This is a very positive move by the police force and although it does not atone for their actions that evening it is a step in the right direction. It is also a sign that the police are aware of the strength of the public’s backlash and will take into consideration the feelings of society when making decisions in the future.
In order to ensure that this kind of situation doesn’t happen again, a thorough analysis of the incident needs to be conducted. This should include an investigation into why such an inexcusable decision was made.
It is important to understand that the events of that night reflect a wider struggle for justice for women, both in the UK and around the world. In addition to the police apology and compensation, there must be a lasting effort to make sure that women feel safe and respected and that their basic rights are not violated.
This must start with educating people about the importance of gender equality and developing a culture in which the safety and autonomy of women is put first. Until that happens, we will unfortunately continue to see situations where female protestors are arrested or harassed in the name of ‘public safety’. The solution is not an easy one, but it is one we must strive for in order to make sure that we don’t see a repeat of the events of Sarah Everard’s vigil.