On the second anniversary of the murders of Nicole Smallman and Bibaa Henry, protesters marched ten miles from Fryent Park - where the sisters were killed - to New Scotland Yard.
The March on the Met was organised by the Women’s Equality Party to demand an end to misogyny and racism in policing.
Sisters Nicole and Bibaa were stabbed to death on June 7, 2020 by Danyal Hussein who has since been convicted and will spend at least 35 years behind bars.
But the crimes also fuelled a wider discussion on standards within the Met Police. Two police officers investigating, Deniz Jaffer and Jamie Lewis, then took selfies with the dead bodies and shared them on WhatsApp. The force has apologised for their misconduct and the pair were each sentenced to two years and nine months in jail.
Mandu Reid, leader of the Women’s Equality Party, said: “We are carrying this clock for ten miles to remind everyone that in the 16 hours after Nicole and Bibaa’s friends and family called the police, no one came to help.
“And that in the two years since they were murdered, nothing has changed. We are calling time on misogyny and racism in policing.”
Host of the rally, Shola Mos-Shogbamimu, added: “Institutional misogyny and racism can’t be reformed. It must be rooted out and eradicated.
“It must be punished to deliver justice. Until the police as an institution does this, we can’t trust it because it isn’t centering the women in its duty to serve and protect.”
A statement from the Metropolitan Police read: “Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with Mina Smallman and the family and friends of Nicole and Bibaa for their tragic loss.
“We are very sorry for the way we responded when Nicole and Bibaa were reported missing. The level of service we provided was below the standard it should have been and no doubt compounded the distress felt by their loved ones.
“And we are sorry for the truly despicable actions of PCs Jaffer and Lewis. They are in prison because of it.
“Improving the culture and standards within the Met is a priority for us, as we seek to rebuild Londoners’ trust and confidence in their police service.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here