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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

The vigil for Sarah Everard should be allowed to go ahead, just as the BLM protests were.

256 replies

Damnrightwrong · 12/03/2021 18:10

I'm frankly appalled that the police are opposing the vigil, it wasn't so long ago that people were flocking to central London in their thousands to protest on behalf of black lives matter.

Black lives do matter, and women's lives do too.

AIBU

OP posts:
Asdparent · 12/03/2021 21:24

Slight derail but does anyone know if the one in Edinburgh is being banned so to speak? Hopefully i can go.

PurpleDaisies · 12/03/2021 21:29

Apart from the one reported in Birmingham and investigated by their local public health team.

Which public health England said there was no evidence to support a link to the BLM protest.

These would not be marches. The local one would be people standing socially distant in a park.

FatPatty · 12/03/2021 21:29

@MsFogi where has this been said? My understanding is the court ruled in their favour?

PurpleDaisies · 12/03/2021 21:31

[quote FatPatty]@MsFogi where has this been said? My understanding is the court ruled in their favour?[/quote]
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-56379248

The appeal was lost.

Dobbyafreeelf · 12/03/2021 21:34

If they are going to ban it perhaps we should all take to the streets in front of our own homes? Light a candle and hold a minutes silence.
May not have quite the impact that the vigil on the common would have had. But it's something.

FatPatty · 12/03/2021 21:34

I’m very confused their Twitter thread says they are working with the met to plan it?

That article also says:

Mr Justice Holgate hasn't quite closed the door on the event going ahead anyway.
That's because three long hours of legal argument thrashed out the legal principles that the Metropolitan Police should follow.
Critically, the force said it did not have a "blanket ban" on all protests - which meant it accepted it had to take into account the right to protest which is enshrined in human rights legislation.

Is this not what they were arguing that there can’t be a blanket ban on the right to protest?

BoJoHoNo · 12/03/2021 21:36

As others have said, the BLM protests were at a far larger scale and police realise that they would have had difficulty preventing them from happening in any case. They would have stopped them if they could. They can stop this vigil so they are. Yet this gathering was acceptable in law (no fines recorded in the local press), for a predominately male gathering back in July 2020. The hugely important occassion - their football team being promoted into the premier league.

The vigil for Sarah Everard should be allowed to go ahead, just as the BLM protests were.
tuttifuckinfruity · 12/03/2021 21:38

I don't think the BLM should have been allowed to go ahead due to covid. But it did, so I agree it's not fair to not allow this.

MrsBerthaRochester · 12/03/2021 21:41

In my city they are encouraging people to light a candle at home or leave a note or ribbon at designated spots. I'm curious! Last weekend thousands of football fans here flocked to the city centre causing havoc and the police did nothing! Yet because it's women we have to know our place and stay at home? FTS!!!

QueenBodicea · 12/03/2021 21:47

No, holding the vigil should be postponed until lockdown has ended. There is still a risk of transmission outside and encouraging a crowd to gather at this time is irresponsible.

DaysAreGettingLongerNow · 12/03/2021 21:48

@BoJoHoNo

As others have said, the BLM protests were at a far larger scale and police realise that they would have had difficulty preventing them from happening in any case. They would have stopped them if they could. They can stop this vigil so they are. Yet this gathering was acceptable in law (no fines recorded in the local press), for a predominately male gathering back in July 2020. The hugely important occassion - their football team being promoted into the premier league.
Men’s football is far more important than women’s lives! Clearly.
HopelessBlue192 · 12/03/2021 21:51

Yanbu, of course it should be allowed to go ahead. But this is not the METs fault, it's the government's - THEY are the ones that have banned protest. THEY are the ones that have taken away our liberties and right to free speech. And people continue to roll over willingly and ask for it even! I mean for God's sake, how stupid do you have to be to not be able to see that this is just a tiny part of what we won't be 'allowed' to do if people continue to accept these restrictions.

doubleshotespresso · 12/03/2021 21:53

I think that a plausible reason for this is that they want to ensure a conviction and don't want to give the defence team any ability to argue that public opinion has been already swayed?
This case has the potential to be as damaging to the Met police as the Stephen Lawrence case, so many failings already flagged and the " one of their own" element is difficult to overcome.
I'm desperately sickened by this case as I lived in that area for years but agree this decision is the right one for many reasons. There are other methods we can apply to ensure this issue receives the support it should.

Kfdbhydcjrsx · 12/03/2021 21:56

don't want to give the defence team any ability to argue that public opinion has been already swayed?

The vigil is about Sarah not the scum who killed her.

Ohnomoreno · 12/03/2021 22:01

No. Either protests are allowed, or they are not. If we have the police deciding how to interpret the law, we are all a bit fucked. The lockdown protests were banned and hundreds arrested. So what if this is a worthwhile reason in your eyes. We can't have a society where only the correct protests are permitted.

doubleshotespresso · 12/03/2021 22:10

@Ohnomoreno

No. Either protests are allowed, or they are not. If we have the police deciding how to interpret the law, we are all a bit fucked. The lockdown protests were banned and hundreds arrested. So what if this is a worthwhile reason in your eyes. We can't have a society where only the correct protests are permitted.
I'm a huge supporter of our right to protest. I was just making the point this may be a plausible reason as it's otherwise just so inexplicable when other things such as BLM/Piers Corbyn and co, anti lockdown etc were permitted. I'm not saying we shouldn't be highlighting this issue at all, far from it. This case is horrific we are all agreed on that.
SemperIdem · 12/03/2021 22:11

@Kfdbhydcjrsx

Who the vigil is for will not matter to the defence team who act for the murderer. He has the right to a fair trial - a nation’s opinion being swayed prior to that trial could easily result in no justice for Sarah Everard.

Londonmummy66 · 12/03/2021 22:36

@MsFogi good for you - I will be walking on the Common alongside you. I'm fed up of men stopping me from going out at night be they murderers, sexist scum or the Met police.

doubleshotespresso · 12/03/2021 22:45

[quote SemperIdem]@Kfdbhydcjrsx

Who the vigil is for will not matter to the defence team who act for the murderer. He has the right to a fair trial - a nation’s opinion being swayed prior to that trial could easily result in no justice for Sarah Everard.[/quote]
Thank-you. Yes I think more of us need to consider this carefully.

Hangingover · 12/03/2021 22:50

Im going to my local one. It will be small and I can walk there in a mask and back again and not get near anyone.

SenecaTrewe · 12/03/2021 22:52

Not surprising. It's one of their own who is accused of killing her.

pabloescobarselasticband · 12/03/2021 22:53

I completely agree OP, it's disgusting that it's been banned.

partyatthepalace · 12/03/2021 23:06

[quote SemperIdem]@Kfdbhydcjrsx

Who the vigil is for will not matter to the defence team who act for the murderer. He has the right to a fair trial - a nation’s opinion being swayed prior to that trial could easily result in no justice for Sarah Everard.[/quote]
It’s not going to make one iota of difference.
The vigil is for the fact she was murdered, which is not in dispute.

Who murdered her is a matter for legal process.

Dustyboots · 12/03/2021 23:10

I'm fearful about this - about it not being allowed to go ahead.

What about human rights. Freedom of speech?

Aside from the fact that people want to remember and mourn and pray together - outside ...

We should be demonstrating about not being allowed to collectively grieve and pay respects. But we're not allowed to do this either ...

Jux · 12/03/2021 23:17

@Ohnomoreno

No. Either protests are allowed, or they are not. If we have the police deciding how to interpret the law, we are all a bit fucked. The lockdown protests were banned and hundreds arrested. So what if this is a worthwhile reason in your eyes. We can't have a society where only the correct protests are permitted.
This, sadly. I would love to attend a protest in my nearest city (if there is one) but we really can't give the police the power to decide who and what and when it's acceptable to protest.