The London Police Service, which intervened in the crowd gathered to commemorate 33-year-old Sarah Everard, who was kidnapped and killed while walking home in the evening, and to protest violence against women, showed great reaction.
Interior Minister Priti Patel called some footage of the action "regrettable" and said he wanted a report on the issue for him.
Sir Keir Starmer, leader of the main opposition Labor Party, said he shared the anger and sadness created by the police intervention. Sir Ed Davey, leader of the Liberal Democratic Party, described the intervention as "embarrassing scenes" and called for London Police Chief Cressida Dick to resign.
Everard disappeared while walking home in the evening after visiting a friend in the Clapham area of south London last week. Everard's lifeless body was found days later in the forest area of Kent in eastern England.
A police officer was detained in connection with the incident. Police officer Wayne Couzens has been charged with enforced detention and murder.
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During the search, the police told the women living in the area where Everard was last seen not to go out alone at night, which drew reaction. A group of women gathered under the slogan "We Want the Streets Back" (Reclaim These Streets) and called for action on Saturday evening.
One of the activists holds a banner saying "Killed by the system that is said to protect us"
Police intervened in those who gathered
Police said that action can be taken to those who participate in the action within the framework of the rules valid due to the Covid-19 pandemic in England. The organizers then withdrew the call for a meeting and called everyone to light a candle in front of their door.
However, hundreds of women gathered in Clapham Common area, and the police intervened using force to disperse the crowd. During the detention, it was seen that some women were handcuffed and dragged on the ground.
In a statement, We Want the Streets Back group, stating that the police intervention "deeply upset and angered them", criticized the London police that "they used physical violence against women in an action against male violence".
"It is the responsibility of the police to protect public order, public health and the right to protest. They've failed all of this tonight," the group said.
The London Police Department announced that four people were detained in order to "protect public safety".
In a video posted on social media, it is seen that the police forcefully took the women standing in the pergola, which was the center of the memorial ceremonies, in the park where the action was held.
The crowd is heard to react with words such as "don't you feel ashamed" and "let them go". In the video, it showed them being put in and taken away in a police van.
Reaction from both government and opposition
The attitude of the London police in the action drew the reaction of both the government and the opposition.
Interior Minister Patel said some images of the action in Clapham circulating on social media were "regrettable".
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"I have requested a complete report from the London Police Service on what happened. My thoughts are with Sarah's family and friends in this horrible time," said Patel.
Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London's Labor Party, stated that Police Chief Dick "lost the trust of millions of women" living in the city.
Khan described the scenes as "unacceptable" and added that he urgently asked Dick for an explanation.
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"The police have a responsibility to enforce Covid laws, but as I see from the images, the response is at times neither appropriate nor proportionate," wrote Khan.
Labor leader Starmer said the scenes were "seriously disturbing".
"The women came together to mourn the death of Sarah Everard and they had to be able to do it peacefully… I share the anger and sadness of the response to this incident. This was not the way to ensure safety in this action," Starmer said.
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Conservative Party MP Caroline Nokes, chairman of the House of Commons Women and Equality Joint Committee, said the images reflected from the action were "truly shocking".
"In this country, we provide security in a consensual way, not by trampling on the commemoration ceremony for a murdered woman and dragging other women on the ground. London police did not get the situation right," Nokes said in a message on Twitter.
Safety: Covid risk was high
London Deputy Chief of Police Helen Ball said that hundreds of people "stood in congestion" during the action and this posed a risk of Covid-19 transmission.
"The police must act for the safety of the people, that is the only responsible thing to do," Ball said in a statement.
"We certainly did not want to be in a position to take action to force the public order. However, we remained in such a situation as the need to protect people's safety has reached a very serious level."
Announcing that four people were detained on grounds of public security, the London Police Department defined ensuring public safety as "the only responsible behavior they can do".
In the statement made by the Police, it was also stated that an investigation will be made within the police organization regarding "which lessons can be learned" about what happened.
The group calling for action had previously criticized the London Police for "not being constructively involved" in its plans to carry out the action safely to reduce the risk of the pandemic.
The group withdrew the call to action, fearing that action could be taken against those who gathered later.
Instead, Everard was called to light candles in front of their doors and keep the lights on at 21.30 (00.30 BST), when he was last seen.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his fiancee Carrie Symonds also attended the candle lighting call. A lighted candle was placed in front of house number 10 on Downing Street, the Prime Minister's official office and residence.
"I will do everything I can to keep the streets safe," Johnson said in a message he sent earlier yesterday.
Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, came to the park in Clapham earlier yesterday and visited the arbor where flowers and candles were lit to commemorate Everard.
What are the current rules for gatherings in the UK?
Britain is going through its third full closure period to combat the Covid-19 outbreak.
Under current rules, two people who do not live in the same house are allowed to socialize in the open air, like "sitting on a bench and drinking coffee together".
From 29 March, outdoor gatherings with other residents or at least six people will be allowed.
The police can interfere with illegal crowd gatherings. Organizers can be fined up to 10 thousand pounds sterling for gatherings of more than 30 people.
During last year's downtimes, there was no police intervention in the anti-closure demonstrations with the Black Lives Matter protests.
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