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Ariana Lamcellari, 4, in Dublin, Ireland, at a protest against violence against women following the murder of Sarah Everard (2021)
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CLODAGH KILCOYNE / REUTERS
London police have suffered a defeat in court after being involved in a demonstration by women's rights activists.
Scotland Yard violated women's rights, the High Court in London ruled on Friday, upholding a lawsuit brought by the organization Reclaim These Streets.
The police in London have been under massive criticism for months because officers were involved in crimes.
The court dispute concerned a vigil for murdered Londoner Sarah Everard, who was kidnapped, raped and murdered on her way home in March 2021 by a police officer - he had used his police ID to fake her arrest.
The women had planned to gather outdoors last spring to protest the murder of 33-year-old Everard.
However, this was prohibited with reference to the corona rules in force at the time – wrongly, as the court has now decided.
The police did not adequately check whether the women had legitimate reasons for the gathering, the verdict said.
The organizers had been threatened with prosecution and fines of up to £10,000 if they held the vigil.
The women then withdrew their plans.
Despite the cancellation, thousands spontaneously gathered for a vigil.
The police cracked down on some demonstrators, and some women were handcuffed.
An investigation by the London police recently revealed major abuses.
The metropolitan police had repeatedly come under criticism in recent years – among other things, due to the discriminatory or misogynist behavior of some police officers.
One agency was closed because officials exchanged racist, sexist, and homophobic messages during the period under review, from 2016 to 2018, the regulator explained in its report.
During the investigation, the investigators found text messages such as "I would like to rape you".
On another occasion, a police officer said he beat his wife because "then they love you more."
A police officer repeatedly boasted about having sex with a prostitute he met on the job.
Former police chief Cressida Dick resigned a few weeks ago under pressure from London Mayor Sadiq Khan.
Your successor is open.
abe/AFP/dpa/Reuters