A WOMAN from Southend has slammed “disgraceful” Metropolitan Police for “throwing her to the floor” during vigil for Sarah Everard.

Patsy Stevenson was arrested during the vigil for Ms Everard, in Clapham Common, in London last night.

Ms Stevenson previously spoke to the Echo in June 2017 following an incident where a man reportedly indecently exposed himself to her and her friend while they were walking home along London Road, Westcliff, in the early hours of the morning.

The 28-year-old former Cecil Jones Academy and South Essex College student, joined the vigil last night as a show of solidarity with Ms Everard, 33, whose body was found earlier this week in Ashford, Kent after she went missing when walking home from a friend’s house in London.

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Patsy Stevenson said the police were 'disgraceful'. Pic: Counterfire.org

The Clapham Common vigil descended into ugly scenes of police officers forcibly removing people from the bandstand.

Hundreds of people had gathered to pay their respects, but four arrests were made for public order offences and breaches of Covid regulations.

Ms Stevenson, a phsyics student at Royal Holloway, University of London, said the police were “disgraceful” and said the vigil had been peaceful.

Dramatic pictures showed a masked Ms Stevenson being held on the ground by two officers as she is handcuffed behind her back, before being led away.

Video footage from the scene showed the moment police began to remove people from the stand, which have since been viewed and shared millions of times on social media.

Speaking to socialist news website Counterfire.org shortly after the incident, Ms Stevenson said: “First of all, I came here to support any woman who cannot walk down the street by themselves because of the fear of men.

“And it’s not all men, we know that that’s not what we are saying, but there needs to be a change.

“The fact that the police turned up was just disgraceful. Just before then it was a peaceful protest.

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Police at the Clapham Common vigil

“I was arrested by police for standing there, I wasn’t’ doing anything, they threw me to the floor, they have pictures of me being arrested on the floor and I’m five foot two and I weight nothing. Several police were on my back trying to arrest me.

“They arrested me in cuffs, dragged me away, surrounded by like ten police officers, and when I got in the van, they said we just need your name and address and then we will let you go with a fine.

“So I don’t see the point of the arrest to be honest, I don’t know what it was for.”

In the previous incident in Westcliff in 2017, Ms Stevenson, who was 24 at the time, urged women to be wary of their surroundings following the incident and claimed the man had been completely naked.

She has now called on people to further protest in Parliament Square demanding change.

She said: “After what happened today at Clapham Common, I want to redirect focus away from the police and towards what actually happened. We need to be seen and heard.

“That’s why I’m calling for everyone to meet at 5pm on 15 March outside Parliament Square.”

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Flowers laid at the vigil during the day

Assistant Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, Helen Ball, said: "Those who gathered were spoken to by officers on a number of occasions and over an extended period of time. We repeatedly encouraged those who were there to comply with the law and leave. Regrettably, a small minority of people began chanting at officers, pushing and throwing items.

"After speaking with officers, the vast majority of people quickly left. Four arrests have been made for public order offences and for breaches of the Health Protection Regulations.

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Sarah Everard

"Part of the reason I am speaking to you tonight is because we accept that the actions of our officers have been questioned.

"We absolutely did not want to be in a position where enforcement action was necessary. But we were placed in this position because of the overriding need to protect people's safety."

Witham MP and Home Secretary Priti Patel said the scenes from the vigil were "upsetting" and has asked for a report from the Met Police.

She said: "Some of the footage circulating online from the vigil in Clapham is upsetting. I have asked the Metropolitan Police for a full report on what happened. My thoughts remain with Sarah’s family and friends at this terrible time."

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Police facing down people at the vigil