To be angry at the frenzy caused by others last night

[BarometerTV]

I think it was utterly disrespectful. We are in lockdown and it was not the right time for a protest. I agree with a quiet, respectful, socially distanced space to grieve - which is what appeared to happen during the day.

Men fighting each other is always the default. If the men had kept away and the event had been policed by women, none of it would have happened. Sad and furious

I feel very sorry for Sarah Everard's family who had to witness all that went on.

an extremely stupid and irresponsible decision to make to allow met police anywhere near this event

Any argument made with this included is patently riduculous. Grow up.

[quote donewithitalltodayandxmas]@MorganKitten but there are a couple of others on here saying they see something different ? [/quote]
I know what I saw from being there, I saw men fighting with police, I saw a women pushed away by police for laying flowers, I saw us being kettled. I saw how aggressive the police were with no reason to be.

@Sparechange. My account came directly from my niece who I spoke to last night so not third hand and, funnily enough, I set more store by what she tells me than by what I read from a stranger on here. It’s ok for there to be different views on something, it doesn’t make it wrong.

And for info, you’re also wrong on my user name. It’s simply because we spent our childhood holidays in Dorset

The lady restrained is how they always restrain or am I missing a picture ? I

@Lineofconcepcion

Brilliant post. I too remember Greenham Common, Miners strikes and marches and thank god we now can record on our phones. And as Sparechange says... here's the evidence. On my phone.

@MorganKitten and thats fine but if others say they experienced different , doesn't make them wrong
Personally I haven't seen much footage or looked, just feel for the family and how they feel

So can you clarify which area she was in when she saw the violent protesters approaching?
Given there were several gatherings, it’s quite significant to know which one she was at, and which side of the gathering?

And where did she see them approach from?

Sparechange it doesn’t fit the narrative of violent protests and justification of the police using force.

Hope you are alright, it must have been quite frightening.

I was shocked at that Metro link above... a woman probably my age, mid sixties, literally thumped in the back by the police, she looked like she went sprawling

Did I read right at 1831? Do you REALLY think police protect us all the time? There have been several forces found to have been not recording reports from victims of vawg, not just acting poorly but refusing to even legally record the initial reports.

Did you read right at 18:31?

Clearly not.

I said "I don't know, I wasn't there".

That's the extent of what I said. You've managed to wildly extrapolate there!

@MercyBooth that's so horrific regarding the delays in the justice system. But hardly surprising given all the cuts that have happened. Just shows that we need to eject this govt

Op your experience is absolutely not my lived experience nor that of many many other women, so much so that I'm afraid I feel compelled to say I don't believe you. In fact I am beginning to wonder if you are in fact a woman and I am reporting on that basis

@donewithitalltodayandxmas I never said no police I said not met police, there's a long history (I believe as a result of what happened in the strikes of the 80's) of where an event is likely to be inflamed or badly handled or emotive due to that involvement of a particular police force then other forces are brought in to cover them and "swaps" are made to ensure police coverage is ensured in the region normally covered by the "visiting" police force. met police shouldn't have been involved in this event, I'd even go as far as to say Kent police shouldn't have been involved either given where the accused is apparently from.

Another force from another part of the country could have attended and there wouldn't have been the same tensions

If in this case it had also been women police officers predominantly if not totally that could possibly have been better too

@BonnieDundee thank you

@1stmonkey any argument containing the words "grow up" is nonsensical - please do tell me what exactly is wrong with saying this particular force shouldn't have been in attendance considering the circumstances?

The lady restrained is how they always restrain

no it's not, there are a number of methods of restraint dependent on a variety of circumstances and there are regulations that govern this

There is always an undercurrent when women protest.

And there is always another woman who pops up later to say how appalling it is that they haven’t stayed at home, basically inferring that there will one day be a perfect moment, convenient and appropriate to all, including the Met, to have an ordained protest.

My whole life I have watched the Met chase unions, students, environmentalists and finally women. These groups are easy to pick on. They aren’t strong and they aren’t likely to fight.

They are rarely so keen to get in and kettle football hooligans, right wing neo nazis, rioters or anyone who is in a position where they will get a good pasting.

Their lines are the same each time; it’s an embarrassment to see people fall for it.

Dick should resign. This was so easily avoided.

[quote donewithitalltodayandxmas]@Graphista you can't not have the police at an event like this, how can you think they would have no police at an event attended by a large number of people [/quote]
I’ve been back to Clapham Common twice today, and both times there were around half the numbers at the bandstand that were there at 5pm last night.

And 2 police.

So it’s absolute bollocks to say that number of people needed to be heavily policed. If that was true, 50% of the numbers would have required 50% of the police.

What it needed was 20 female officers standing in solidarity for a few hours while respects were paid and everyone went home.

@graphista the Met police are responsible for the Clapham area. There was a significant gathering of people in a public park, against advice and in the midst of a public health crisis. Who else was supposed to police it?

What it needed was 20 female officers standing in solidarity for a few hours while respects were paid and everyone went home.

THIS 👆🏽

@Dorsetdays

And my understanding is that the court didn’t decide the event could go ahead at all, they returned an undecided verdict as the law wasn’t clear.

The event organisers then decided to cancel as they would potentially have been liable for £10k fines.

Yes, this is my understanding. Then sisters uncut decided to 'organise' instead. They're now demanding that the money raised by reclaim these streets is used to pay the fines of those who were arrested.

None of which goes any way towards excusing the disgusting behaviour of the met.

I am genuinely very concerned that this “frenzy” is going to lead to this guy walking free on the basis he can’t get a fair trial.

If I was Sarah’s family I would be absolutely terrified of this happening.

@Graphista you can't just draft police in from another region though ,its not just that simple

The people who attended did so in the full knowledge they had been asked not to and for good reason. They attended anyway and it got out of hand. It was obvious it wasn’t going to end well if it went ahead. There were other ways for people to pay their respects and protest and they chose not to take them. The police reacted to to the situation as it developed.

@1stmonkey Any argument made with this included is patently riduculous. Grow up.

Why is it ridiculous? Aside from the fact that “grow up” is rarely the sign of a nuanced argument, it is a serving Met police officer who stands accused of the kidnap and murder that led to a woman’s body being found in a bag in such a state that she had to be identified by her dental records. It is also the Met who are being investigated as to whether they took seriously enough an allegation of a sexual offence made against the same officer, where different actions by them could have prevented this tragedy.

Why on Earth would it not be more appropriate for another London police force to manage the event?

@Elsia exactly people are not thinking enough about this sort of thing and I have noticed no one who was there as commented about what they think about how the family feels

Amazing how BarometerTV is standing on this hill at this very time.

Why?

Do you not realise that in the past few weeks there have been male sports fans who were 'escorted' by the police whilst out chanting the win of their team. Look at the media if you need corroboration.

Reclaim These Streets wanted to engage with the police for similar treatment, but the London Met police refused them.

Around the country, similar vigils as Clapham Common happened with the police not barging into women and assaulting them.

Get perspective. The London Met handled the matter atrociously, and you are defending them on the Covid rules, when they already make exceptions for men re their sports celebrations in recent weeks.

Are you a troll BorometerTV? Your 'dying on this hill' is really inappropriate.

@Dentistlakes

The people who attended did so in the full knowledge they had been asked not to and for good reason. They attended anyway and it got out of hand. It was obvious it wasn’t going to end well if it went ahead. There were other ways for people to pay their respects and protest and they chose not to take them. The police reacted to to the situation as it developed.

Have you actually read any of the thread before ploughing in with this post?

They didn’t react to a situation. They caused a situation.
There are near identical accounts from journalists who were there, posters who were there, videos from people who were there.

None show ‘a situation’
They all show upset but respectful women being charged and kettled by police CAUSING a situation