Following the death of Sarah Everard in London earlier in the week, vigils were planned in Edinburgh outside The Scottish Parliament.
A Met Officer has been charged with murder and kidnap of the young woman who disappeared while walking home from a friend’s house. Police have confirmed that her body has been found. Women everywhere have reacted to Ms Everard’s death and a vigil was planned at Holyrood tonight. It has now been cancelled.
But after comments from the Health Secretary Jeane Freeman at the media briefing on Friday, organisers have cancelled the event at Holyrood on Saturday evening. They have asked everyone to join an online event instead.
Ms Freeman said she would join commemorations of this kind in normal times, but that these are not normal times and meeting others is not permitted. She continued: “I will take my private steps. I will light that candle on Saturday night and engage via social media to show my frustration, my anger, that women are still not safe on our streets, still not safe from male violence on our streets at any time of day.”
The Virtual Vigil will begin online at 6pm and will include speakers sharing their own stories from home.
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