Dame Cressida.

Dick defended the tactics of her officers in trying to clear the area on Clapham Common in south London, with the police saying the gathering posed the covid risk.

Sarah Everard, who was 33 disappeared on her way home in Clapham 12 days ago.

Her body was later found in Woodland in Kent.

Critics say police tactics last night were heavy handed.

MPs will tomorrow debate a new bill giving forces wider powers to deal with public gatherings and demonstrations.

This report from our home editor, Mark Eastern, does contain some flash photography within moments of being taken.

This picture of police holding down a woman on Clapham Common last night became a symbol of female defiance against male aggression.

As darkness descended on the vigil for Sarah Everard, what had been a peaceful and respectful demonstration of female solidarity turned ugly.

Police moved in to disperse the crowd that was pushing and shoving, with a number of women taken away in handcuffs.

Four were arrested for public order and coronavirus.

Regulation breaches among them.

Daniel, As I was sat in the van as my hands were handcuffed.

I was just thinking Gosh, all I wanted was to stand with the woman at the fear that has been brewing for years.

From a very young age, we get harassed and were aware of the abuse and violence against women.

As the police surrounded the bandstand, emotions intensified.

They had grabbed me.

There was being really aggressive.

Twisted my arms, you know, they had put me in the handcuffs.

The beautiful women stood with me.

One of them as the pictures are circulating.

She was thrown to the floor.

You know.

She had police officers on her back, you know, with their knees, their feet.

The police are saying that they had to act for public safety reasons.

I personally be in there.

Didn't see anyone being at risk.

Shake your fucking the site of women who'd come to stand together against male violence.

Being man handled has led to a chorus of criticism from across the political spectrum.

All eyes on this woman.

The Commissioner of the Met, Dane Cressida Dick, forced to explain her officer's actions to the home secretary and the London mayor today and defend herself to the press.

Are you considering your position?

No, I'm not.

They have to make these really difficult calls.

And I don't think anybody should be sitting back in an armchair and saying, Well, that was done badly.

Or I would have done it differently without actually understanding what they was going through their minds.

The Metropolitan Police were already being investigated for events around the Sarah Everard murder inquiry.

Now Scotland Yard's leaders find themselves under increasing political pressure.

The focus really of this weekend should be on Sarah Evrard and her family.

But it is right also that the police explain their actions.

They should have been allowed to protest, to have their vigil, to come together in peace.

And I was very disturbed to see the police action.

I think it was wrong, and I'm pleased it's now going to be reviewed.

Okay.

There is evidence to suggest that some of those who attended the vigil had been looking for trouble, and the police have been criticized before for not intervening in protests during the pandemic, notably by the home secretary.

This evening, a crowd of protesters gathered outside Scotland Yard, presenting a new challenge to the police's ability to handle the outpouring of anguish sparked by Sarah Everard.

Is death up to now?

UM, it stands accused of getting it badly wrong.

Mark Eastern BBC News Sarah Everard is Death has shown a critical light on the issues of violence against women and the safety of our streets.

Our correspondent Katie Austin has been to clap him in south London to speak to some of the women who attended last night's vigil about why it was important for them to go.

Catherine and Anna Maria made the short walk from their homes to Clapham Common this afternoon.

I mainly wanted to pay respects to Sarah Everard and her family.

It's had a massive impact on me as a woman living around here, and I think it has so many others.

Both went to last night's vigil despite being aware of lockdown rules.

They say they wore masks and kept social distance.

We couldn't not go because it affects every single one of us.

It is extremely rare for a woman to be abducted off the street, but in recent days many women have been sharing other experiences on social media of feeling, afraid, being harassed or assaulted.

Every woman I know has a story, and it's to think about, but also express, I guess, anger.

We need the conversation to involve everyone.

Of course, we need women to share their stories.

But what was so great about last night was, yeah, there were a lot of girls, but there were so many men.

Naomi also chose to attend yesterday.

I didn't like being told that I wasn't allowed to.

She felt it was too important looking at Sarah, you just think it could have been me or it could have been my friends, or it could have been my loved ones so easily and just to carry that fear around with you every day it just weighs you down.

The sea of flowers at the bandstand continued to swell.

Today, people stood in reflective silence.

The number of tributes which have been left and the number of people still coming here today is just one sign of how widely Sarah's story has resonated.

A week that's included International Women's Day and Mother's Day has also seen morning for the shocking loss of a woman's life and a wider national conversation about male violence and female safety.

Katie Austin.

BBC News.

Well, our special correspondent Lucy Manning is at Westminster Forest tonight.

Lucy.

The political pressure on the Metropolitan Police and Cressida Dick in particular.

It remains intense.

Well, yes, it couldn't have been a more damaging week for the Metropolitan Police and for the commissioner, a member of their own force charged with the murder of Sarah Everard and then women going out in sympathy and also to stand against violence, feeling that they were on the receiving end of violence in in the police response.

And it's fair to say those pictures did not look good and the politicians agreed.

The mayor of London said the scenes were completely unacceptable, the home secretary saying that there were more questions that needed to be answered.

But I think the truth is they could have withdrawn their confidence in Cressida Dick today, and they didn't do that, and if they had withdrawn their confidence, she would have had to resign.

So I think her job is safe for the moment.

This review will take some time, but the big question is what is done for the confidence of women in the Metropolitan Police, You have the advisor to the home secretary on violence against women, saying the police looked like they were abusers last night.

So goodness knows what other people are thinking as well at the police.

In their defense, the police unions talk about the difficulty of these covid regulations and having to police them.

And also the Met point out that many women during the day did go and lay flowers.

There was no problem with that.

The Duchess of Cambridge obviously was one of those tomorrow.

The politics does return here because the police bill is going through the Commons.

That gives the police even more laws.

When it comes even more control over protests.

Labour says it will oppose Lucy.

Thank you for that Lucy Manning there at Westminster.