The Metropolitan Police has apologised and paid 'substantial damages' to two women arrested during the vigil for Sarah Everard, marking a significant climbdown after years of legal battles. Patsy Stevenson and Dania Al-Obeid received the payout following their arrests at the Clapham Common vigil in March 2021, held amid Covid restrictions.
Commissioner Mark Rowley hopes the settlement draws a line under one of the darkest periods of the Met's recent history. The force acknowledged it was 'understandable' that the women wanted to attend the vigil, feeling women had been 'badly let down' after Everard was murdered by a serving Met officer.
Stevenson, who was pinned to the ground by officers, described the apology as 'half-arsed' but called the settlement a 'very big win'. Al-Obeid, who was handcuffed and later convicted under the Single Justice Procedure without her knowledge, said the apology was 'empowering' but criticised police handling of abuse victims.
The settlements follow the damning Casey review into Met standards, which criticised the force's 'defensiveness and lack of humility' over the vigil policing. Anna Birley of Reclaim These Streets hoped this was the first of many apologies, indicating a fresh approach to rebuilding trust with women.
