Sarah Everard: Thousands Set To Attend Reclaim These Streets Vigil

The 33-year-old's suspected murder has sparked a huge conversation around women's safety.
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Thousands of people are set to attend a Reclaim These Streets vigil in the wake of Sarah Everard’s disappearance and suspected murder.

More than 3,400 people have responded to an event set up on Facebook for the vigil, with posters shared widely on other social media platforms.

Several other events have emerged in different parts of the capital, as well as in cities such as Cardiff and Oxford.

Everard’s disappearance, and the later developments of the case including the arrest of a serving Met Police officer for murder and the discovery of human remains, sparked an outpouring of stories from women – not just in London but across the nation – who have experienced violence and harassment.

Thousands of women have also written and shared tweets describing the methods they’ve been forced to use simply to feel safe walking alone.

Many have described being unable to wear headphones, holding keys between their fingers, noting the registration plates of cars and taxis and calling friends to let them know they got home safely.

More than 12,000 people have now signed a petition to Lambeth Council and Wandsworth Council, urging them to provide sufficient lighting across Clapham Common to improve safety.

It was confirmed on Wednesday evening that human remains had been found in the search for Sarah Everard, almost exactly after a week after she was last seen walking home to Brixton from a friend’s house in Clapham.

The discovery was made in an area of woodland in Ashford in Kent and police have yet to confirm whether it is Everard.

In a statement on Wednesday evening, Metropolitan Police commissioner Cressida Dick said: “We have found very sadly what appears to be human remains.

“At this early stage we are not able to confirm any identity and that may take us some considerable time.

“Specialist officers have been with Sarah’s family to update them on the investigation and continue to give them the best support possible.”

It emerged on Tuesday night that a serving Metropolitan Police officer had been arrested at an address in Kent in connection with the disappearance of the 33-year-old from Brixton.

He had initially been arrested on suspicion of kidnap and a separate incident of indecent exposure, but was later rearrested for murder.

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