Woman arrested for protesting says 50 police officers harassed her on dating app

Stephenson claims that the police officers’ approach was not gratuitous and that “there was a reason” they pursued: They knew she was “afraid of the police,” the young woman says.

The image of Stevenson being handcuffed was one of the defining moments of a south London rally in March, following the death of Sarah Everard.

Hundreds of people attended the vigil, which the London Metropolitan Police ended on the grounds that the meeting would be illegal due to government restrictions to contain the Covid-19 pandemic.

Stevenson says the event was a “turning point” as “everyone realized we’ve all been through the same things” but “the weather got really, really scary very quickly” after police began trying to disperse the crowd.

Two police officers handcuffed her and arrested her, and she was also fined 200 pounds (1,500 Brazilian reais). Since then, she has sued the police for her arrest.

Stevenson says the methods he received on Tinder came from “about 50” different police officers.

“Everyone was wearing a uniform in their profile or said I’m a cop,” says the young woman. “I don’t understand why anyone would do that. It’s almost intimidating, to say ‘we’re watching you’, and it’s scary to me.”

“They know what I’ve been through and they know I’m afraid of the police. There’s a reason they’re doing it.”

The young woman says she has also become a target of fake news and internet conspiracies since her arrest. Among the plots, people said she was a “paid actress to be arrested and to legitimize attacks on the police.”

“I’ve lost count of the number of death threats I’ve received,” says Stephenson, who has also received kidnapping threats.

“Now that I’m on the street and I see someone looking at me, I get scared,” she said. “I just want to be able to live like everyone else and not be afraid.”

Stevenson says he is not “anti-police” and that he registered an incident due to threats – which police say they are investigating.

The young woman has not yet registered for the methods she received on Tinder. She says the police should start “taking responsibility for the actions of police officers”.

One of the police’s advice to women who “have concerns” when a police officer stops them was a “signal for a bus.” Stephenson says this type of advice is “part of the problem.”

“Stop telling women how to change their behavior just to stay alive,” she says. “If they start investigating the case properly, listening to people’s concerns and then promoting change, we can trust them more.”

Police say the young woman should contact her and provide her with more information so she can “work to understand whether any London Police officers were involved (in the methods) and whether there was any misconduct”.

Police Commissioner Cressida Dick confirmed Monday that there will be an independent investigation into police standards and culture.

Home Secretary Priti Patel said the government would conduct an investigation into “systematic failures” that allowed Wayne Cousins ​​to remain a police officer after the crime.

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