Watchdog says London police acted appropriately during Sarah Everard vigil scuffle

London police in the U.K. acted appropriately at a vigil for murdered woman Sarah Everard earlier this month, an independent watchdog said on Tuesday, after the force was criticized for a heavy-handed approach which saw mourners dragged away by officers.

"I'm pleased that the officers who were working on the night were shown to have acted thoughtfully, with compassion, with incredible restraint in really difficult circumstances," said Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Louise Rolfe about the ruling.

British Interior Minister Priti Patel, who commissioned the report, said the findings should be recognized and she fully backs the police.

The murder of Everard, 33, sparked a huge outpouring of grief and dismay in Britain at the failure of police and wider society to tackle violence against women.

At a vigil in her memory, which police said broke COVID-19 lockdown rules, officers faced accusations of acting with undue force after a number of women were pinned down and then dragged away in handcuffs after the crowd refused orders to disperse.

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