Scotland Yard seeks Court of Appeal’s permission to challenge ruling on handling of 2021 vigil
The Metropolitan Police is making another effort to overturn a High Court ruling regarding their handling of the Sarah Everard vigil in March 2021. Despite the High Court’s earlier refusal to allow an appeal, Scotland Yard has confirmed its intention to seek permission from the Court of Appeal.
The original March ruling concluded that the police had violated the rights of organisers from Reclaim These Streets (RTS) by how they managed the planned vigil, which was meant to honour Sarah Everard and protest violence against women. The event was to take place near Clapham, south London, where Sarah went missing in March 2021, but RTS withdrew after being warned of fines of £10,000 each and potential prosecution.
RTS has criticised the police for pursuing further legal action. In a statement on Twitter, the group accused the Met of “spending more taxpayer money to continue to fight us in court” and highlighted concerns about transparency in decisions affecting citizens’ rights to free expression and peaceful assembly.
The group also called for clarity about how the police enforce legal restrictions while remaining impartial. RTS maintains that the appeal focuses on the decisions and communications leading up to the vigil, rather than the actual policing of the event itself.
Jessica Leigh, Anna Birley, Henna Shah, and Jamie Klingler of RTS argued that police actions prior to the vigil infringed on their human rights to freedom of expression and assembly. They also claimed that the Met had failed to assess risks to public health when making their decisions.
Following their legal challenge, Lord Justice Warby and Mr Justice Holgate ruled that the Met’s actions were “not in accordance with the law.” Despite this, the Met has now filed an application to the Court of Appeal to review the case directly.
The situation reflects broader concerns about how legal powers are applied in protests and the balance between public health, police responsibilities, and citizens’ rights.
