殺害女性の追悼集会で参加者に手錠、警察に批判　英国

【ロンドンＡＦＰ＝時事】英ロンドンで帰宅途中に殺害されたマーケティング会社役員サラ・エバラードさん（33）の追悼集会で、警察が参加者を押さえつけて手錠をかけたことに批判が集中している。この事件では、女性への暴力に関する議論が全国的に巻き起こっていた。（写真は英ロンドン南部クラパムで、殺害されたサラ・エバラードさんを追悼しようと集まった人々）
　エバラードさんは、南ロンドンのクラパムの友人宅を訪れた後、徒歩で５０分ほどの距離にあるブリクストンの自宅に戻る途中、３日午後９時３０分（日本時間４日午前６時３０分）ごろに行方が分からなくなった。
　１３日、新型コロナウイルス感染拡大予防の制限措置が取られているにもかかわらず、追悼集会に参加しようという人たちが、エバラードさんが行方不明になった現場付近に集まった。
　警察は新型コロナ拡大予防の規制に違反するとして集会を禁止した。このため主催者は集会を中止したものの数百人が集まり、夜にかけて緊張が高まった。参加者の一部が警察との間で小競り合いになった。
　エバラードさん殺害で訴追された男が警察官だったことから、警察に向かって「恥を知れ」と叫ぶなど、参加者らは感情をあらわにした。
　エバラードさんを誘拐・殺害した容疑でイングランド南東部ケント州の自宅で逮捕されたウェイン・カウゼンズ容疑者（４８）は、１３日に裁判所に出廷した。エバラードさんの遺体は同容疑者の自宅付近の森林で発見された。
　ソーシャルメディアに投稿された動画には、警察官が追悼イベントの参加者を押さえつけて手錠をかける様子が撮影されており、政治的な立場を超えて批判が巻き起こった。
　野党・労働党のキア・スターマー党首は、「今晩クラパムで起きたことには、深く心をかき乱される」とツイッターに投稿した。「このような扱いに対する彼らの怒りと動揺を私も共有する。この抗議行動をこのように取り締まるべきではなかった」【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2021/03/15-12:17）

Police in London drew widespread criticism on Saturday after handcuffing mourners at a vigil for a woman who was murdered after setting out to walk home, in a case that has sparked a national debate about violence against women.
Officers scuffled with some members of the hundreds-strong crowd that gathered despite coronavirus restrictions for a candlelit tribute close to the spot where 33-year-old marketing executive Sarah Everard disappeared on March 3.
Reclaim These Streets -- who initially organised the event in south London's Clapham -- condemned the actions of officers physically manhandling women at a vigil against male violence.
Social media footage showed police restraining and handcuffing some mourners, leading to an outpouring of criticism from across the political spectrum.
Both Home Secretary Priti Patel and London mayor Sadiq Khan said they had asked for explanations from the Metropolitan police over how the vigil was handled.
And Liberal Democrats leader Ed Davey called for Metropolitan police chief Cressida Dick to resign, having lost the confidence of millions of women in London.
The murder of Everard, who vanished after setting out to walk home from a friend's flat, has shocked the country and brought discussion around women's safety to the fore once again.
Organisers had cancelled the vigil after police outlawed it because of Covid-19 restrictions, but hundreds still turned out, with tensions overspilling as Saturday night fell.
Mourners shouted shame on you at police, with tensions running high as a man arrested in connection with Everard's murder is an officer.
In the hours following the vigil, rage mounted with pressure groups and politicians condemning police actions.
Opposition Labour MP Harriet Harman condemned the terrible scenes at Clapham in a tweet, adding: Met mishandled vigil plan from the outset. They should have reached agreement.
Labour leader Keir Starmer called the scenes deeply disturbing and also criticised the way the vigil was policed.
Caroline Nokes, the conservative chair of the women and equalities committee, said she was truly shocked at the scenes from Clapham Common -? in this country we police by consent, not by trampling the tributes and dragging women to the ground.
And feminist direct action group Sister's Uncut tweeted late Saturday that Metropolitan police officers waited for the sun to set before they started grabbing and manhandling women in the crowd.
- 'Unbearable pain' -
Wayne Couzens, 48, appeared in court earlier on Saturday charged with kidnap and murder following his arrest at his home in Kent, southeast England. The victim's body was discovered in a nearby wood.
Many more joined in a virtual tribute, including prime minister Boris Johnson and his partner, who lit a candle for Everard.
I cannot imagine how unbearable their pain and grief is. We must work fast to find all the answers to this horrifying crime, he tweeted.
I will do everything I can to make sure the streets are safe and ensure women and girls do not face harassment or abuse.
Organisers of the vigil said they hoped to raise ??320,000 ($445,000) for women's causes.
Earlier on Saturday Prince William's wife Kate visited the bandstand at Clapham Common, which has turned into a shrine for the victim.
Everard had visited friends in Clapham and was returning home to Brixton, about 50 minutes walk away, when she disappeared around 9:30 pm.
The case has caused a political fallout, with MP Jess Phillips this week reading out the names of 118 women murdered last year.