'LIVES AT RISK'
Dr Hilary says Sarah Everard vigils are ‘Covid superspreading events however strong people feel’
DR HILARY today warned vigils in memory of Sarah Everard are "superspreading" events for Covid "however strong people feel".
The Good Morning Britain doc said he understood how important memorials for the 33-year-old are - with a Met cop now charged over her murder.
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Sarah was walking home from Clapham, south London, two weeks ago when she vanished.
And her alleged murder has sparked an outcry across London and the UK with both vigils and protests over violence against women held over the weekend and this week.
Four people were arrested yesterday as crowds gathered outside Parliament with Met Police telling demonstrators to "head home immediately" over fears that the mass gatherings would see a spike in Covid cases.
Speaking of the protests on Good Morning Britain today, Dr Hilary said he expected there to be another Cvoid wave two to three weeks after the gatherings.
He said: "I know how important the protest for Sarah Everard is... but we have to be really careful. However strongly you feel, it is putting lives at risk down the line.
"I’m all in favour of peaceful protest with a cause as great as this but there must be a creative way of doing it."
He cited last year's Cheltenham Festival, which was held as the outbreak first began, and fears that the event "may have accelerated" the spread of Covid.
The UK has been largely in lockdown for the past year in an attempt to stop the spread of Covid - with Brits warned not to travel and limit gatherings.
Vigils planned for the weekend in Sarah's memory were cancelled over Covid fears. However, hundreds still flocked to Clapham Common - with cops filmed dragging women away from a bandstand.
And protests were again held yesterday at Westminster - with another four people arrested.
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Temporary Deputy Assistant Commissioner Jane Connors said: "Whilst I understand why people feel the need to express their views at this time, we must remember that we are still in the middle of a pandemic, and that there is the constant risk of transmitting the coronavirus.
"Our officers were once again out on the streets, with the primary role of trying to ensure people's safety during this health crisis.
"Despite many people adhering to officers' instructions to leave the area and go home, we had to take some enforcement action as the evening progressed.
"We will continue to review how we police events such as this and I would urge people to think carefully before joining any future protests."
However organisers of Reclaim These Streets slammed police for being unwilling to engage in finding solutions that would allow people to gather and pay tribute to Sarah.
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Sarah Everard, 33, was allegedly kidnapped and murdered after vanishing in Clapham, south London, on March 3.
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Wayne Couzens, a serving Metropolitan Police officer, has been charged with Sarah's murder and kidnap.
The 48-year-old was remanded in custody after a short hearing at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Saturday.
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Crowds outside Parliament block roads at sit-in protest over violence against women after Sarah Everard vigil
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