POLICE across Wales were praised today for their response to the vigils held in the wake of the death of Sarah Everard.

Vigils have been held across the UK – including in Newport – in memory of the 33-year-old after it was confirmed last Friday that remains found in Kent on earlier last week were hers.

During today’s Welsh Government coronavirus briefing, education minister Kirsty Williams was asked about the case and the vigils, and her thoughts on the scenes at the Clapham Common vigil in London on Saturday, during which Metropolitan Police officers have been accused of being ‘heavy handed’.

“I want to say my thoughts are with Sarah Everard’s family," said Ms Williams.

“I don’t think anyone who saw those scenes would not be shocked.

“I want to say that in Wales, people who marked her death with vigils and the police who allowed them, handled them well.

“We are still in the middle of a pandemic and lockdown restrictions, but they were abided by and I want to commend those who attended for following the restrictions and the police officers across Wales for handling the situation sensitively.”

Questions were also raised at the briefing in regard to whether gyms in Wales ought to be opened again in response to the death of Ms Everard - who was reported missing a fortnight ago after walking home from a friend’s flat - with many women feeling that gyms are their safe space to exercise.

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Ms Williams said: “It’s a damning thing that women don’t feel safe and yes, we will be opening gyms as soon as the advice allows.

“We have recently allowed two people from different households to exercise together, and this has also been increased to four, as women were not feeling safe to exercise on their own, particularly in the winter months.

“But the fact we are considering opening gyms to keep women safe shows how far we as a society need to come.”

Ms Williams also touched on the new education bill which will see relationship education on offer for all children in Wales.

“Every child in Wales will be entitled to relationship education in Wales [as a result of] last week’s bill. I believe that this education of respect, consent and roles in relationships is very important and will create the society of change we need,” she said.

Ms Williams also highlighted the fact that we need to respond as a society and it is not just education or the government, but it is about the community challenging others.

“It’s about the promotion of equal rights for all our citizens. People will have seen the campaign for people to speak out when they see someone treating another human in a way that is unacceptable," she said.

“As education minister, I truly believe ensuring we are raising our children with respect to one another, knowing what a healthy relationship looks like, and also knowing when to speak out, because we need people to challenge behaviours - whether it’s a crass joke or a really pointed comment.

"It’s that low level, daily experience that women are living. It can’t be about government, it’s about all of us.

“We need to have conversations as a society as a whole, to make sure that women and girls are safe.”

Metropolitan Police officer Wayne Couzens has been charged with Ms Everard’s kidnap and murder, and has been remanded in custody to appear in court on Tuesday March 16.