Women’s Equality Party sees huge surge in membership after Sarah Everard Clapham vigil

‘Those who want ending violence against women and girls to be a political priority’
Clapham Common vigil
PA Wire
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The Women’s Equality Party has seen a huge surge in membership in the wake of the Sarah Everard vigil in Clapham, the Standard can reveal.

The party has seen an influx of hundreds of new members, as well as thousands of new social media followers and registered supporters since Saturday.

It comes after police officers were pictured handcuffing women and removing them from crowds on Clapham Common at a vigil for murdered woman Sarah Everard.

The Standard understands the political party saw a 500 per cent increase in new members since Saturday – compared to the average for the same timeframe in 2020.

The party has declined to give specific figures given the sensitivities surrounding Ms Everard’s death but confirmed they had experienced a “big increase” in support.

A spokeswoman said: “We have seen a big increase in support and activism over the past week from those who want ending violence against women and girls to be a political priority.

“That’s in direct contrast to most politicians who seem to be focused on blaming each other, or recycling old policies that do little more than manage the violence against us.”

Party leader and mayoral candidate Mandu Reid
Handout

The spokeswoman also said they “fully expect” other parties to pay the price for their “abysmal records” on the issue at the ballot box.

The party’s leader Mandu Reid is running for Mayor of London at the election in May and is calling for the capital to become the first “gender-equal city” in the world. The feminist party pushes for equal representation and an end to violence against women.

The issue of violence against women and girls has been brought to the forefront of public debate after Ms Everard’s murder.

Home Secretary Priti Patel has commissioned an independent investigation into the force's actions on Saturday evening.

The official vigil was called off after police said it risked breaching lockdown rules, however, hundreds gathered to pay their respects.

Patsy Stevenson: ‘All we wanted was for women to be able to mourn’
Good Morning Britain

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said he was "deeply concerned" by the scenes on Clapham Common and that Met Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick had "committed to reviewing how this was handled".

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan had also called for an investigation, describing police actions as "unacceptable".

Police said four arrests were made at the vigil to "protect people's safety".

Among those was Patsy Stevenson who said she was “terrified” after being pinned to the ground by officers.

An image of Ms Stevenson being restrained by police was shared widely, fuelling anger at the policing of the vigil. 

The 28-year-old physics student at Royal Holloway, University of London, said she did not know why she was pushed to the ground “so forcefully”, adding: “I was only there to lay a candle down.”

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