Protesters flout Covid rules to give women a voice against violence

A Newcastle protester has told ITV News Tyne Tees she felt "women's voices were being silenced" following a clash between police and women at a recent vigil in London in memory of York woman Sarah Everard and so joined hundreds of other people in demonstrations against violence towards women and the Police, Crime and Sentencing Bill.

Around 600 people took part in the protests, which began at Monument and ended in the city's Exhibition Park. 

Northumbria Police said there was an "increased police presence" to "deliver a proportionate policing response".

Visual Artist, Theresa Easton, told ITV News she felt she had to take part in the protests on Sunday, despite them being in breach of Covid restriction banning mass gatherings.

She said she had made banners to help give a voice to women and to campaign against the Police Bill which is currently going through parliament and could potentially spell the end of large and loud protests in the future.

"I don’t think they needed to have such a big police presence, you know, people went there peacefully, they went there to pay their respects to all other women who’ve died, and they also went there to protest about the Police and Crime Bill that’s being put through parliament. "

Theresa added: "I’ve been so, so careful over Covid, I’ve followed all the guidelines and really stuck to it really stringently, but this was just, this was something that I really felt that I had to do."

The Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner told ITV News that during the Coronavirus pandemic is not the time for hundreds of people to gather to take part in protests.

She did, however, praise the Newcastle protesters for behaving themselves during the peaceful demonstrations and not resorting to the kind of violence seen in protests in Bristol.

She said "I think at the moment people shouldn’t be protesting. We are in a pandemic and there’s still a lot of people in intensive care and unfortunately dying from this virus, but I am pleased that those people who did turn out yesterday kept their social distance where possible, wore their masks and were peaceful and I think the police dealt with it very well."

A Northumbria Police spokesperson added: "Under the current Covid legislation, protests are not exempt from the restrictions due the risk that large gatherings pose to public safety. There was an increased police presence in the city to deliver a proportionate policing response to any activity taking place. We can confirm three people were arrested in connection with Covid regulation offences."