Today marks one year since Sarah Everard was kidnapped and killed by former police officer Wayne Couzens.
The murder was one of the most high-profile cases of 2021, with news of the 33-year-old’s tragic death shocking people across the country and highlighting the rising violence against women in the UK.
On 13 March last year, thousands gathered at Clapham Common, London, for a vigil to honour Sarah, originally organised by Reclaim These Streets.
The event became a turning point in the UK’s trust in the police; as several women were arrested for attending the gathering which had been deemed illegal by Met Police due to taking place during the pandemic.
We were at the scene on the day.
Ahead of the anniversary of Sarah’s disappearance, Jam Press is sharing photos and videos from the vigil, including an image that went viral across the globe.
The viral shot shows the crowd silently facing off against the police by raising their phones with flashlights on to officers who have surrounded the bandstand.
Other images show the tussle between officers and the crowd, as people push to get onto the bandstand (which at the time was being used by organisers and press).
Additional shots from the set features people laying flowers, lighting candles, crying and protesting with homemade placards.
A video from the scene that also went viral and has racked up 661,000 views on Twitter features women shouting “no justice, no peace, f**k th police”.
Another clip is of a woman holding a sign that reads “She was just walking home”, a phrase used widely in the months following, while shouting “shame on you” at the officers.
Additional footage shows people shouting “murderers” at police and refusing to leave the scene.
In Britain, one woman is killed every three days at the hands of a man according to research released in October, 2021.
Crowd refuse to leave as they continue changing as some shout “murderers” at police #SarahEverard #Clapham pic.twitter.com/mzLCBBZBBG
— Almara Abgarian (@almaraabgarian) March 13, 2021Other high-profile cases from the past 12 months include the murders of Sabina Nessa (28, south-east London) and Ashling Murphy (23, Ireland).
