Cressida Dick considered sending all-female unit to Sarah Everard vigil, MPs hear

11 May 2021, 20:36 | Updated: 11 May 2021, 21:32

Covid: Cressida Dick on practicality of Sarah Everard vigil proceeding

By Patrick Grafton-Green

Dame Cressida Dick considered sending an all-female unit to monitor the Sarah Everard vigil in south London, MPs have heard.

The Metropolitan Police Commissioner defended the force's handling of the event at Clapham Common on March 13 as she faced questions from the Commons Home Affairs Committee.

She said while a female police support unit was considered for the vigil, it was not "practical" at such short notice and the idea had since been "hugely divisive" among officers.

READ MORE: Met Police 'acted appropriately' at Sarah Everard vigil, review finds

READ MORE: PM backs Met chief amid outrage over policing of Sarah Everard vigil

The Met faced a barrage of criticism, including calls for Dame Cressida to resign, after protesters were bundled to the ground and arrested.

Nine people were arrested at the event in memory of murdered 33-year-old Ms Everard, and it was thought to have been attended by around 1,500 people at its peak.

Sarah Everard report into police's use of force 'felt like a rubber stamp'

Dame Cressida told the Home Affairs Committee on Tuesday: "I personally did consider, and I know my gold commander did consider, well I did the day before whether there was an argument for creating...

"It has been suggested since, that everything would have been better and different if we had an all-female police support units as we call them, the public order trained officers.

"Two issues. One, not practical for us to do that, certainly at such short notice.

'The Met denied Sarah Everard vigil organisers' requests for a guarantee of no prosecution'

"Secondly, it's hugely divisive amongst my people.

"I have subsequently taken a straw poll, and men and women alike are really not keen on this idea, that when you have a primarily female rally or protest that we will only send women into that.

"But it was considered, it was not practical and we didn't do it".

Dame Cressida said it would be "wrong to say" there was an "unusual number" of male police officers at the vigil, adding: "It was proportionate to our public order resources."

Everard vigil organiser accuses Cressida Dick of 'mischaracterisation'

An official report from the watchdog, Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services, backed the Met's handling of the event and found no evidence of heavy-handedness.

But it criticised the force's "tone deaf" response to criticism of the way it dealt with protesters, saying the Met should have taken a more conciliatory approach.

It comes as London mayor Sadiq Khan revealed he had appointed Claire Waxman as the capital's first Victims' Commissioner in a bid to "improve the trust and confidence women have in the criminal justice system".

He tweeted: "I'm committed to ensuring that women and girls feel safe in our city.

"That's why I'm investing a record £60.7 million to help address the attitudes that can lead to violence and to support victims."

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

Sir Chris Hoy said 'if you're over the age of 45, go and ask your doctor' for screening

Sir Chris Hoy calls for men to be offered prostate cancer screening from the age of 45 after his terminal diagnosis

Kamala Harris went door-knocking in Pennsylvania on the night before the election

Kamala Harris surprises residents in Pennsylvania as she goes door-knocking in final bid to win votes

Nearly 600 police officers sacked in a year amid as shocking figures reveal extent of misconduct crackdown

Nearly 600 police officers sacked in a year as shocking figures reveal extent of misconduct crackdown

Hundreds of people died in the devastating flooding in Spain

British man who survived Valencia floods describes hearing his neighbours’ horrifying final screams before they died

Amy Dowden said she was ‘heartbroken' as she left this year's Strictly Come Dancing

Amy Dowden says her ‘heart is breaking’ after she confirmed she will not return to Strictly

Anthony Scaramucci said the row between Trump and Labour would blow over

'Anglophile' Trump's row with Starmer will have 'no impact' on wider relations with UK, Anthony Scaramucci says

Nick Ferrari attends his first Trump rally in Pennsylvania as he meets the crowd in 'the poorest city in the United States'

Nick Ferrari attends his first Trump rally in Pennsylvania as he meets the crowd in 'the poorest city in the US'

Exclusive
Nick Ferrari bumps into Nigel Farage in Pennsylvania as he reflects on Trump's "remarkable" foreign policy achievements

Nick Ferrari bumps into Nigel Farage in Pennsylvania as he reflects on Trump's 'near-death' experience

Live
US Presidential Election 2024 LIVE: Millions of Americans head to the polls as election day arrives

US Presidential Election 2024 LIVE: Millions of Americans head to the polls in the final race for the White House

Proud Boys claim they will go to voting places as Trump repeats election fraud lies.

Proud Boys making plans to mobilise as Trump repeats election fraud lies

File photo of a real NHS dentist

Desperate Brits fall for scam 'fake NHS dentists' amid years-long waits for appointments

The Kremlin is suspected of plotting the attack

'Parcel bombs' that blew up in warehouse were 'rehearsal' for Russian explosion attack on flight to US

Keir Starmer is not set to ban smoking in pub gardens, contrary to earlier reports

Cigarettes will not be banned in pub gardens under new Labour plan create 'smoke-free generation'

Former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally in Reading, Pennsylvania

Trump threatens Mexico with 100% tariffs unless it cracks down on border crossings

Bridget Phillipson told Tonight with Andrew Marr that the fee hike was necessary to secure the future of universities.

‘Universities must reform’ says education secretary after first hike in tuition fees in 8 years

Two more cases of a new strain of mpox have been detected in the UK, officials say

Two more cases of new mpox strain detected in UK