The leader of the Liberal Democrats has said Met Police Commissioner Cressida Dick should resign over the handling of a vigil to mourn Sarah Everard.
Officers removed women who had gathered on Clapham Common, south London, to pay tribute to the murdered 33-year-old, despite Covid restrictions.
Police were seen handcuffing and leading women away from the vigil.
Lib Dem Sir Ed Davey called the scenes "utterly disgraceful". Home Secretary Priti Patel has asked for a report.
One video posted online showed officers removing women who were stood in the bandstand.
Cries of "shame on you" and "let them go" could be heard from onlookers. The video showed them being put in a police van and driven away.
Mr Davey said in a tweet that Ms Dick had "lost the confidence of the millions of women in London".
Ms Patel called footage on social media "upsetting" and said she had asked the Met for a "full report on what happened".
And Sadiq Khan, the Labour Mayor of London, said the scenes were "unacceptable" and that he was "urgently seeking an explanation" from Ms Dick.
"The police have a responsibility to enforce Covid laws but from images I've seen it's clear the response was at times neither appropriate nor proportionate," he tweeted.
Lambeth police tweeted that "hundreds of people are tightly packed together in breach of the regulations and risking public health".
"We are urging people to go home and we thank those who have been engaging with officers and who are leaving," the tweet added.
A tweet posted by Sisters Uncut alleged "male police officers waited for the sun to set before they started grabbing and manhandling women in the crowd".
Reclaim These Streets, the group that originally organised a vigil on Clapham Common but later cancelled it, had asked people not to gather there because it could put people "legally at risk".
Instead, it urged mourners to light candles and shine other lights on their doorsteps at 21:30 GMT - to coincide with the time Ms Everard was last seen on 3 March.
The prime minister and his fiancee, Carrie Symonds, lit a candle that was placed on the doorstep of No 10.
Earlier, Mr Johnson tweeted that he would "be thinking of her family and friends", adding: "I will do everything I can to make sure the streets are safe."
Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon tweeted a picture of a candle in her home, which she said was "for Sarah", while Wales's First Minister Mark Drakeford encouraged people to "ignite a fire for change".
Earlier, Met Police officer Wayne Couzens, 48, appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court charged with Ms Everard's kidnap and murder.
Her death has prompted women to share their own experiences, and a public debate over their safety.
Reclaim These Streets said that it cancelled the evening vigil at Clapham Common because police did not "constructively engage" with plans to hold it in a Covid-secure way.
MP Charlotte Nichols, Labour's shadow minister for women and equalities, tweeted: "If metpoliceuk had put the resources into assisting ReclaimTS to hold the Covid-secure vigil originally planned that they put into stopping any collective show of grief and solidarity (both through the courts and a heavy-handed physical response), we'd all be in a better place."
The clashes occurred on Saturday evening, but people had visited the bandstand to lay flowers and pay their respects throughout the day.
The Duchess of Cambridge made a private visit on Saturday afternoon, and was was seen pausing at the bandstand.
It is understood that she wanted to pay her respects to Ms Everard and her family.
What are the rules on gatherings in England?
- Under the current lockdown rules two people can meet for recreation outside, which can include "coffee on a bench"
- From 29 March people will be allowed to meet outdoors, either with one other household or within the "rule of six"
- Police can break up illegal gatherings and issue fines of £10,000 to someone holding a gathering of more than 30 people
- During last year's restrictions, when Black Lives Matter and anti-lockdown demonstrations took place, police took a hands-off approach to protests
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2021-03-13 23:04:41Z
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