Hundreds of protesters have chanted “disgrace on you” as police officers stood guard at New Scotland Yard, earlier than marching to Parliament Square in London.
Officers erected obstacles across the Metropolitan Police headquarters and the group of demonstrators, many holding placards aloft, spilled over on to the street subsequent to the River Thames.
Sisters Uncut, an organisation describing itself as a feminist group taking direct motion for home and sexual violence providers, mentioned it could be holding the rally.
On Sunday, the group tweeted: “Police are perpetrators of particular person and state violence in opposition to ladies – as evidenced final evening.
“The police abuse the powers they have already got, but the federal government plans to offer them much more powers in the #PoliceCrackdownBill. We should resist this.”
Banners in the gang mentioned “Men your silence is deafening” and “Cressida you’re a lady too”, whereas protesters shouted: “Sisters united won’t ever be defeated.”
One placard addressed Metropolitan Police Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick (Yui Mok/PA)
Signs included messages such as “Times up Priti”, “End state violence”, and “Abolish the police”.
Others mentioned “I would like to have the ability to inform my kids I didn’t keep silent” and “Enough is Enough”, whereas one mentioned “You don’t defend us”.
The group chanted: “Say it loud, say it clear. Brutality’s not welcome right here.”
Gravestone placard
A placard in the form of a headstone which had been positioned beneath the New Scotland Yard signal was eliminated by officers earlier than nearly all of protesters arrived.
It mentioned “RIP democracy mutual respect Sarah”.
A bunch of flowers on the base of the signal had an accompanying be aware that mentioned: “These are my Mother’s Day flowers. This is just not my nation.
“I’m grieving that girls are assaulted while grieving for girls killed + assaulted.
“Women are rising up + you’re fuelling their fireplace.
Protesters lie down in Parliament Square (Yui Mok/PA)
“There isn’t any better power than life givers standing shoulder to shoulder. Stop. Listen. Act.”
The protesters left New Scotland Yard and marched to Parliament Square the place they chanted “Kill the invoice”.
The crowd clapped when an announcer mentioned everybody was there to recollect Sarah Everard.
A minute of silence was held in which the demonstrators lay on the bottom.
Student Ava Wordsworth, 22, from London, mentioned she attended to pay her respects to Ms Everard, but in addition to precise opposition to the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill and the “makes an attempt by the Government to quash protest”.
This is only the start.
We is not going to be silenced. We is not going to ask permission. We is not going to take orders from violent males. pic.twitter.com/3OkIzN9CJo
— Sisters Uncut (@SistersUncut) March 14, 2021
She advised the PA information company: “I feel there’s simply been a very superb feeling of solidarity between everybody right here.”
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Clashes with police as crowd gathers to honour Sar…
Ms Wordsworth added: “I feel if the Bill goes by means of this week then there can be much more protests and they are going to be larger and I feel it’s going to massively backfire on the Government.
“Because even individuals who don’t really feel a specific connection to any sure situation, everybody is aware of that we’ve got to have the correct to protest and the correct to protest freely, and I feel makes an attempt by the Government to quash that proper can be met with protest.”
Police officers have been nonetheless standing guard at New Scotland Yard, and obstacles remained in place, after 6pm.
