Sisters Uncut is raising the alarm on police violence against women

Sisters Uncut has issued a call to action for November 2 in central London to protest against police violence.

The organisation has called for people of all genders to gather at 15:30pm in Victoria Embankment Gardens, and bring with them their “sadness and rage” at the current state of endemic police violence against women.

“Join us to deliver a letter of complaint on behalf of all women and all victims of police violence," the group said on Twitter, posting details of the action. “With over 500 people trained in police intervention in just one week, people are waking up to the fact that the police cannot keep us safe from violence, because the police are the perpetrators.”

The group added: “There is an epidemic of violence within the police, and a culture of impunity across the entire criminal justice system protecting them. Join us on Tuesday to deliver a letter to those complicit in harming us and demand no more.”

A Sisters Uncut spokesperson told Dazed that the recent murder of Sarah Everard was the “extreme end” of a wider culture that condones police violence, and that the events of this year have proved to be a “watershed” moment.

Ms Everard was murdered by a serving police officer, Wayne Couzens, after he arrested her on the false pretence of breaking COVID guidelines. She was walking home alone from a friend’s house in south London on the night of March 3 when Couzens handcuffed her, put her in his hire car, and drove away. A week later, Ms Everard’s remains were found in a pond some 100 metres from land owned by the officer. He pleaded guilty to murder and was sentenced to a whole life order.

“We now know 15 officers have killed women since 2009,” Sisters Uncut told Dazed. “The circumstances around Wayne Couzens illustrate our message clearly: his colleagues called him ‘The Rapist’, he exposed himself several times, he sent vile, violent messages. His colleagues did nothing. Couzens was not a lone monster because the system he worked in protected him and people like him. Colleagues protected him right until the very last minute, when they attended court to provide positive character references for him.”

Even after the serving officer Couzens was arrested on suspicion of the murder, the Metropolitan Police decided not to tackle the violence within its own ranks, but instead to police women further telling them to be “careful” and to “not go out alone”. The Met then attempted to prevent women from attending a vigil in honour of Ms Everard, citing coronavirus restrictions at the time (March 13 2021) and proceeded to forcefully arrest four people at the gathering.

“While the officers who brutalised women at the Clapham Common vigil walk free, Ryan Roberts – a Bristol protestor – is facing extreme charges,” Sisters Uncut told Dazed. “We are raising the alarm to highlight the impunity that exists for police and repression that exists for those of us who stand up to them. There is one rule for us and another for the police and we say enough is enough”

Follow @SistersUncut on Twitter for updates on the planned action in London