PEOPLE behind campaigns to protect women on the city’s streets have told “aggressive” police to take a “long hard look at their attitudes”.

The Anti-Harassment Club (AHC) and Clap Back Club (CBC) have spoken out following ugly scenes at the Brighton vigil for Sarah Everard on Saturday.

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.

The Argus:

AHC was formed after 100 women from across Brighton and Hove – some as young as 12 – came forward with experiences of harassment.

CBC helps run a team of volunteers offering safeguarding patrols to keep women safe at night called Home Safe Brighton.

Speaking to The Argus, Alice and Emma, from the organisations said: “The vigil was peaceful, started by women, and held for all women.

“Sussex Police said they were there to enforce Covid regulations, but their presence was heavy-handed, they kettled us into a confined space – a breach of the very rules they were there to enforce.

“The police presence was aggressive from the get-go, we felt the vigil would have been safe and socially-distanced if they had engaged with us, instead of threatening us with extortionate fines and arrest.

“Sussex Police were responsible for the chaos, and only them.”

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Despite police warnings, about 150 people went to the city-centre park to lay messages, protest placards, flowers and candles in memory of Sarah 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.

Alice and Emma added: “The crowd itself was peaceful and we were able to socially distance, then they started to push everyone together and the women were reduced to being bystanders to the very male violence they are terrified of.

“The police response to the presence was absolutely inappropriate.”

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.

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“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.”