People have gathered for the start of a march in memory of Sarah Everard in Clapham, south London, where she was abducted by a serving Metropolitan Police officer one year ago.
Organiser Madison Hall, 25, said the march aims to “give the community an opportunity to come together to commemorate all victims of gendered violence”.
A similar rally is also taking place outside Kelvingrove Art Gallery in central Glasgow.
The killing of the 33-year-old – who was kidnapped, raped and murdered as she walked home – sparked outrage across the country.
People march through Clapham Common in south London, to mark the first anniversary of the murder of Sarah Everard. The 33 year old was raped and killed by serving Met officer Wayne Couzens as she walked home in south London on March 3 last year. Picture date: Thursday March 3, 2022.
Aaron Chown
Around 200 young people assembled at Clapham Common bandstand in south London to remember Sarah Everard on the one-year anniversary of her abduction.
Men and women laid bouquets where thousands gathered last March following the 33-year-old’s death.
Organisers have begun making speeches to “demand change” from the police and urged them to better “hold perpetrators of gendered violence to account”.
Two Metropolitan Police officers also laid flowers at the scene.
The family of Sarah Everard have paid tribute to her on the first anniversary of her murder by a police officer, saying she was “wonderful and we miss her all the time”.
People at Clapham Common in south London, ahead of a march to mark the first anniversary of the murder of Sarah Everard. The 33 year old was raped and killed by serving Met officer Wayne Couzens as she walked home in south London on March 3 last year. Picture date: Thursday March 3, 2022.
Aaron Chown
In a statement released through the Metropolitan Police, they said they have been “overwhelmed” by the public’s support.
Her family said: “It is a year since Sarah died and we remember her today, as every day, with all our love.
“Our lives have changed forever and we live with the sadness of our loss. Sarah was wonderful and we miss her all the time.
“Over the past year we have been overwhelmed with the kindness shown to us, not just by family and friends, but by the wider public.
“We are immensely grateful to everyone for their support, it has meant such a lot to us and has comforted us through this terrible time.
“Sadly, Sarah is not the only woman to have lost her life recently in violent circumstances and we would like to extend our deepest sympathy to other families who are also grieving.”
