The Duchess of Cambridge paid her respects to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common. Photo / Instagram
The Duchess of Cambridge paid her respects to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common. Photo / Instagram
London's Metropolitan Police Commissioner has sparked anger by saying that Kate Middleton's presence at the Sarah Everard vigil was legal because she was "working".
Cressida Dick said that while the gathering on Clapham Common to commemorate the murdered 33-year-old was judged unlawful, the Duchess of Cambridge's presence was acceptable.
"She's in the course of her duties, she was working," Dick told the BBC's Today program.
However, Kate said at the time that she had visited the bandstand on March 13 to lay flowers in a personal capacity.
The Court Circulars detailing engagements undertaken by all members of the royal family does not list any appointments on that date.
Mourners paid their respects to Sarah Everard. Photo / Getty Images
A Palace source said at the time that the Duchess "wanted to pay her respects to Sarah and her family" because "she remembers what it felt like to walk around London at night before she got married."
She later sent a "deeply personal" letter to the family of the young woman, who was allegedly murdered by a police officer while walking home from Clapham to Brixton on March 3.
Asked if Kate's visit to the memorial was legal, the Met's Commissioner replied: "I would imagine that, of course I have not asked her this question, but I think it's worth looking at ... just how strongly people felt, what she said about her attendance there."
The police chief added: "It was clearly possible under the law for somebody who lived locally to walk as many did and lay flowers legally, there are other reasons why people might be in the area and they could have laid flowers calmly and peacefully, potentially legally."
Human rights lawyer Adam Wagner said the commissioner was doing "contortions" to explain how Kate's presence could be legal while others were in breach of the law.
"Not breaking the law, like all the other plebs," said one Twitter user, while others said Dick's excuses were "ridiculous".
Another added: "Looking forward to seeing how the Met now distinguish and justify arresting the legal observers *actually* working at the protest the following day."
The Duchess of Cambridge paid her respects to Sarah Everard at Clapham Common. Photo / Instagram
The commissioner's comments came after an investigation into the police's handling of the event by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services on Tuesday concluded that officers acted appropriately.
Officers faced widespread criticism for their heavy-handed tactics at the planned peaceful vigil, where police were seen grappling with women and grabbing their arms as some were seen falling to the ground.
Footage of police manhandling protesters at the event later the same evening was slammed as "disgraceful" and "despicable".
"You would have seen for six hours we did not enforce any laws, we showed some discretion and we allowed people to carry on," Dick added.
The report indicated that police did not know about Kate's visit until it was reported on Sky News.
But Dick said: "The Met did know, absolutely, but of course we take all sorts of precautions to make sure that we don't unwittingly draw attention to visits like that."
"We knew that it would result in a mass gathering, we knew there would be large numbers, we knew who would come, we knew it would be unlawful," said the police commissioner.
