Reclaim These Streets: Where are vigils for Sarah Everard taking place and why might police ban them?

Met Police say their ‘hands are tied’ by coronavirus regulations and lockdown

Sarah Everard was last seen walking home from her friend’s house in Clapham, London on Wednesday 3 March (METROPOLITAN POLICE/AFP via Gett)

A number of ‘Reclaim These Streets’ vigils are planned to take place across the country this weekend in response to the disappearance and death of Sarah Everard.

Everard, 33, was last seen walking home from her friend’s house in Clapham, south London on Wednesday 3 March. Her remains were found in a woodland in Kent this week.

A Metropolitan Police officer in his 40s was arrested first on suspicion of kidnap and later murder, as well as an unrelated offence of indecent exposure.

The case has sparked a wider discussion about the lack safety of women and girls on the streets.

A number of vigils, organised under the banner Reclaim These Streets, are due to take place on Satuday to honour Everard’s life as well as to highlight the danger women face daily and their right to walk the streets without fear of being sexually harassed or hurt.

The movement echoes the Reclaim the Night marches and rallies which have taken place in the UK since 1977, first organised by the Leeds Revolutionary Feminist Group in response to serial killings by the Yorkshire Ripper, Peter Sutcliffe, and the 10pm curfew imposed on women at the time.

Where are the vigils taking place?

Several events are set to be held around the country at 6pm on Saturday, including at Clapham Common, close to where Everard was last seen as she walked home from a friend’s house.

Other vigils are due to held in Cambridge, King’s Parade; Cardiff, outside the Senedd; Edinburgh’s Scottish Parliament building and St Andrew Square; London Fields Lido in Hackney; the Parkinson Building at the University of Leeds; St Luke’s Bombed Out Church in Liverpool; Sheffield’s Devonshire Green; Walthamstow Town Square; and St Peter’s Square in Manchester.

Organisers have stressed the importance of health and safety and encouraged attendees to wear a mask and remain socially distanced.

Why might police ban the vigils?

Organisers have been told by police to cancel the demonstrations, particularly the Reclaim These Streets vigil scheduled to take place on Saturday 13 March in Clapham Common.

The police were at first supportive of the vigil, but withdrew their support on Thursday, stating it would be unlawful under the Covid-19 regulations, the organisers said. 

After the Metropolitan Police said they were “trying to navigate a way through” and that they were “currently developing a local policing plan” to allow the vigil to take place, they reversed their stance, warning organisers that they could be prosecuted for conspiracy to commit a crime if they continued to plan the event and could face tens of thousands of pounds in fixed penalty notices and criminal prosecution under the Serious Crimes Act.

The Met Police have said their “hands are tied” by the current coronavirus regulations and the lockdown.

Under the current Covid-19 lockdown in England, people are largely required to stay at home and can only gather in larger groups for limited reasons, such as funerals or for education, and police are authorised to break up illegal gatherings and issue fines of £10,000 to someone holding a gathering of more than 30 people.

The Met Police put out a statement earlier today, which said: “We understand the public’s strength of feeling and are aware of the statement issued by Reclaim These Streets with regard to a planned vigil for Sarah Everard in Clapham Common this weekend.

“We remain in discussion with the organisers about this event in light of the current Covid regulations.”

In a statement, the organisers said:  “We have decided to seek an urgent order from the High Court confirming that the Metropolitan Police’s understanding of the law is wrong. We hope that this will be heard tomorrow, Friday 12 March, so that the vigil can still go ahead.”