The Met’s policing of the vigil was heavily criticised after women were handcuffed on the ground and led away by officers. However, now some of the attendees have been prosecuted for ‘breaking Covid laws’ at the gathering to remember murdered Sarah Everard
It comes as Led By Donkeys have created another cutting video where they outline seven times the Met police come to Johnson’s rescue during the partygate saga.
They write: “Met Police: reason we didn’t initially probe Downing St parties is we don’t do retrospective Covid inquiries Also Met Police: we’re charging 4 people with breaking Covid restrictions while attending a vigil more than a year ago to protest a murder committed by 1 of our officers.”
Vigil
Four people are being prosecuted by the Metropolitan Police for allegedly breaching Covid-19 laws during a vigil for murdered Sarah Everard.
Hundreds attended a spontaneous gathering in Clapham Common, south London, after a planned socially distanced event proposed by Reclaim These Streets (RTS) was cancelled after organisers were threatened by the force with £10,000 fines.
The Met’s policing of the vigil – following the kidnap, rape and murder of marketing executive Ms Everard, 33, by serving Pc Wayne Couzens – was heavily criticised after women were handcuffed on the ground and led away by officers.
Jamie Klingler from RTS responded on Twitter: ““Why does the @metpoliceuk have a vendetta against women protesting a woman killed by a serving officer?”
Wasting money
She added: “How is wasting more public money prosecuting women that attended the vigil going to rebuild trust?”
A report by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services concluded police “acted appropriately” when dealing with the event, but also found it was a “public relations disaster” and described some statements made by members of the force as “tone deaf”.
Dania Al-Obeid, 27, from Stratford, east London, Vivien Hohmann, 20, from Clapham, Ben Wheeler, 21, from Kennington, south London, and Kevin Godin-Prior, 68, from Manchester, are being prosecuted by the Met over their attendance at the vigil, court papers said.
They are all accused of participating in a gathering on March 13 2021 at Clapham Common Bandstand of more than two people in a public outdoor place when London was under Tier 4 restrictions.
Their cases were due to be dealt with at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday under the single justice procedure, which cannot be observed by the public.
On Tuesday, the Met was refused permission to appeal for a second time against a High Court ruling which concluded the Met breached the rights of the RTS organisers.
Related: Watch: Praise after projection of Partygate timeline onto parliament by Led By Donkeys