Went down to Clapham Common with my Press ID - because that’s my job. The bandstand was surrounded on all sides by women - and a few men - fed up, exhausted, let down. 
Without question: this gathering at Clapham Common is less Covid safe, more angry and much more radical in terms of the voices dominating it, than if the Met had reached an agreement with #ReclaimTheseStreets for a marshalled events. (Instead, it is led by @SistersUncut)
Lots of women early on did just as the Duchess of C did - come look at the flowers for a bit, make their point, move on. Then it got darker, then Sisters Uncut started leading speeches from the bandstand, then the police moved in. As you’ll have seen from plenty of footage by now
Personal view: speech from the bandstand sounded a lot like contempt of court & will be especially if republished. People are understandably very angry about the suspect’s history in the police. But I worry tonight may be used by his lawyers to question the fairness of any trial
I have also wondered a lot this week about how Sarah Everard’s family actually feel about all of this. They, and her personal friends, are grieving somewhere tonight.
I’m as angry as any other woman, and as determined as any other feminist campaigner to Do Something. But Sarah Everard, the real person, doesn’t actually belong to any of us, you know?
Last observation from tonight at #ClaphamCommon, then I’m switching off:
Young men - if you come as an ally to a demo about reclaiming public space for women, hurrah! Just don’t push past women to the front of the crowd, stand on the raised ground in front & block women’s view 🙄
Young men - if you come as an ally to a demo about reclaiming public space for women, hurrah! Just don’t push past women to the front of the crowd, stand on the raised ground in front & block women’s view 🙄
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
