Sarah Everard vigil: Sussex Police told they 'got it wrong'

Caroline Lucas, Green MP for Brighton Pavilion, said the force increased the health risk to demonstrators by “forcing people together” during the vigil in Valley Gardens, Brighton, on Saturday.

And Lloyd Russell-Moyle, MP for Kemptown, said footage from the demonstration appeared to show Sussex Police using a “too heavy-handed response”.

Despite police warnings, about 150 people went to the city centre park to lay messages, protest placards, flowers and candles in memory of Ms Everard, whose body was found last week.

Footage captured the moment officers held down and handcuffed a woman who was attending the demonstration. Another video shows an officer threatening a woman “lighting a candle for Sarah” with arrest.

Mr Russell-Moyle said: “I’ve asked the Brighton commander to give me a briefing on Thursday on these matters, it’s dreadfully concerning and undermines wider policing that the police got this wrong.

READ MORE: Woman held down and handcuffed by officers at Sarah Everard vigil

READ MORE: Argus readers split on whether police acted appropriately at Sarah Everard vigil

“The courts were clear that vigils and protests are not automatically illegal under Covid rules and that the police should cooperate with people to ensure its Covid safe. Instead in London and by the look of the videos in Brighton the police used too heavy handed response.

“These videos don’t show the police on a good light but it’s important to hear what the police have to say and how they will learn from their mistake.

“This is further evidence that the police are not the appropriate authority to decide nature, scope, style and place of protests going forward.

“The government want to give them these powers in perpetuity with no oversight. This response shows the danger of that when the police don’t even follow high court requests.”

Caroline Lucas, Green MP for Brighton Pavilion, said the police had forced an apparently peaceful protest together, increasing the health risk to the demonstrators.

She said: “I recognise that policing in a pandemic is difficult, particularly when police powers have been loosely defined and are open to interpretation. But officers need to work with the local community and make judgments that fit the situation, and I’m very disappointed that this did not happen on Saturday night.

“This was a peaceful vigil, which appears to have been held in a responsible way until police action forced people together so increasing any health risk.

READ MORE: 'The police were aggressive and made us break Covid guidelines' say campaigners

“If policing in our communities is to be effective, it needs to be based on consent and trust, and disproportionate police action risks endangering that.

“I’ve written to Nick May at Sussex Police outlining my concerns and look forward to seeing the results of the review he has undertaken to carry out.”

Sussex Police responded: “Officers attending the gathering engaged with those present, explaining the government’s coronavirus regulations and encouraging them to move on from the area.

“Where this wasn’t successful officers moved to necessary and proportionate enforcement action. This is consistent with our response throughout the pandemic and we will review our approach as a matter of routine.

“We recognise the desire to come together at this time, to mourn the death of Sarah Everard in London and to make a statement on the issue of women’s safety, and we absolutely understand the importance of this message.

“However, we remain firmly in a public health emergency and the government’s Covid-19 regulations continue to disallow large gatherings because of the continued, and very real, risks of the virus.”