Several women were arrested and bundled to the ground as protesters clashed with the police during Clapham Common protests this evening.
Independent legal observer Zehrah Hasan, of Black Protest Legal Support, said at least five people mostly women were arrested.
She told the Evening Standard: “The level of police violence today was immense.
“These women were only here to remember the victims of male violence but were subjected to it themselves.
“The police relied on Covid regulations to disperse a peaceful vigil. We’re concerned about the police’s failure to consider our fundamental human right to protest.”
By 8.30pm, most of the area around the bandstand had been cleared and police, who brought in police dogs at one stage, left the park.
Footage from the protests has been circulating on social media.
Ash Sarkar shared video from the arrests, tweeting “shameful, shameful scenes”, while others posted that the Met had “shamed Britain tonight”.
Former Labour Party Chair Ian Lavery also said there was something “terribly wrong” as tensions spilled over.
While Declan Cashin added that this will surely come to haunt the Met in the coming weeks.
Related: Demonstrators chant ‘shame on you’ as they defy police requests to stay away from Clapham Common
