Last night's shootings in Atlanta have left eight people dead. Six of the victims were
Asian, and all but one of them were women. Hate crimes against Asians in America have
been on the rise since the pandemic began, in large part due to racist and xenophobic
rhetoric spread by incompetent leaders. The shooter attacked businesses that employed
Asian women, and it is an act of hate that demands action. It's also a terrifying reminder
of the dangers women, and especially women of color, face just by living their lives.
We need to keep talking about anti-Asian violence, and our show will continue to cover it in
the coming weeks. But tonight, because the world is a disaster, we planned to talk about
another act of violence—one that has ignited a powerful conversation about women’s safety.
- Sarah Everard, who was 33, was making her way home from a friend's house.
- At half past 9, she was spotted on CCTV on Poynders Road, walking alone in the direction
of Tulse Hill. And she hasn't been seen since. - Wayne Couzens, a serving Metropolitan Police
officer, has been charged with the murder of Sarah Everard.
Sarah's murder is a heinous tragedy, and it has sparked an outpouring of anger and sadness
across the U.K. and around the world. Not only has it led to an outcry about violence
against women, it has also made us examine how we respond to it. Specifically, why is
it always on women to protect ourselves from violence, and not on the men who perpetrate
that violence? After Sarah's disappearance, London Metropolitan Police reportedly went
door to door telling women to stay inside their homes for their own safety. It was an
infuriating response, especially after it turned out the crime had allegedly been committed
by one of their very own officers. This month, activists organized a series of vigils intended
to honor Sarah and reclaim the streets. Unfortunately, organizers say they were told by police that
due to COVID-19 restrictions, the vigils in London were unlawful, and if they gathered,
they could face criminal prosecution. The only thing that would be more insulting would
be if the police also handed out posters that read “Keep Calm and Stay Home, Ladies…
and also, Mind That Gap!” As we saw last summer, gathering outside for masked protests
did not cause major infection surges, and if the police really cared about women's safety,
maybe they should've not hired a murderer. While the vigils were initially cancelled,
people chose to gather anyway, and the Metropolitan Police really cocked it up.
- As darkness descended on the vigil for Sarah Everard, what had been a peaceful and respectful
demonstration of female solidarity turned ugly. Police moved in to disperse the crowd.
There was pushing and shoving with a number of women taken away in handcuffs.
- They put me in the handcuffs. The beautiful women stood with me. One of them, she was
thrown to the floor. She had police officers on her back, with their knees, their feet.
Those images are so disturbing. Again, the answer to violence by a police officer is
not more violence by police officers. It was the most intense vigil since the one I held
for my grandmother, and that was only because it turned out she wasn't really dead yet.
That woman's heart beats just two times a minute like a blue whale. London Mayor Sadiq
Khan ordered an independent review of policing tactics. But here's the thing: nobody cares
about a review of the police unless it's for their album Synchronicity. It was a perfect
album, Stephen Holden of Rolling Stone! What could Sting have possibly done to get that
final half a star? Not cum for twenty hours? 'Cause he did that, too! By shutting down
peaceful vigils and instructing women to stay in their homes, the Metropolitan Police appear
more interested in restricting women's freedom than in stopping men's violence.