Sarah Everard: Cardiff vigil moves online after High Court ruling

A silent vigil planned for this weekend in Cardiff after the death of Sarah Everard will now move "entirely online, say organisers.

Police have confirmed remains found in woodland in Ashford, Kent, are those of Ms Everard and a serving police officer has been charged with her murder.

The decision on the Cardiff event was taken after organisers of a vigil in London lost their legal challenge in the High Court against a police ban.

That vigil has now been cancelled.

However, a Carmarthen vigil is set to go ahead.

Organisers of the Cardiff vigil took to Facebook to share their "great disappointment that we have had to make the difficult decision to move this event entirely online for tomorrow, as opposed to in person".

"After careful consideration (and much much bigger numbers than we ever expected!) we must respect that we are still under lockdown restrictions and in a pandemic, and neither one of us want anyone to put their health or the health of those they love at adverse risk," they said.

They added the online candle vigil would be held at the same time, including the same speakers and discussions.

The Welsh Government said Ms Everard's killing "has invoked a strong and passionate response" and that testimonies received from women who have experienced violence and abuse were "a stark reminder about why there is still more to do."

But a government spokesperson added: "We are in the middle of public health emergency.

"For everyone wishing to hold peaceful vigils this weekend, we would ask people to follow the rules which have protected us all from coronavirus and consider holding online events until larger gatherings can be held."

Women have been sharing their own experiences and fears of sexual violence since 33-year-old Ms Everard's disappearance.

Speaking to BBC Radio Wales, the National Union of Students Wales president Becky Ricketts said women across the UK were feeling a sense of "grief", but not surprise.

"We're still being told the same messages. We're still being told to contact our friends when we get home, making sure we dress in bright clothing, making sure we don't walk in dark areas, we walk home in groups," she said.

"The conversation around safety of women is so focused on women that we don't think about the role men have to play in this as well."

Most women "don't know a woman who hasn't faced some sort of abuse or sexual violence in their life", according to Cerys Furlong, chief executive of gender equality charity Chwarae Teg.

She said one in five girls and women aged 14 to 21 have experienced sexual harassment in public since the start of lockdown.

"We need to look quickly and clearly at why there are so few convictions and why as a society we don't have confidence in women and believe them when they speak out," Ms Furlong told BBC Radio Wales.

The chief constable of North Wales Police said Sarah Everard's death has "brought into sharp focus the fact that everyone, wherever they are, should be able to live, work and walk our streets without fear of harassment, abuse or violence".

Carl Foulkes urged women to report "any concerns about behaviour in complete confidence that the police will deal with that concern".

"Tackling abuse and violence in all its forms is a priority for us. We are absolutely committed to doing all we can to prevent this and to prosecute those who commit or attempt to commit such offences," he said.

There have been calls from some for men to be given curfew in the wake of Ms Everard's disappearance.

Wales' First Minister Mark Drakeford said he was not considering a curfew on men after a row over comments he made on BBC Breakfast television.

On the show he said a curfew would not be not be "top of the list" to combat sexual harassment, he would be willing to "consider all options" if there was a "crisis".

He said the Welsh Government changed the rules over the winter to allow people to exercise with one other person to help keep people safe.

Although the Welsh Parliament can create offences in areas controlled from Cardiff, most criminal law is controlled from Westminster.

After Welsh Conservative Senedd leader Andrew RT Davies said such a curfew would be "barmy", Mr Drakeford tweeted: "We are NOT introducing a curfew for men in Wales - or even considering it. This is misleading and deliberately misses the real issue."