Andrew Marr: 'There is an epidemic of male violence against women in London'

29 June 2022, 18:50

Andrew Marr's moving tribute to Zara Aleena

Andrew Marr has blasted the Metropolitan Police as "disgraceful" for failing to police the "epidemic of male violence against women" in London after the murder of Zara Aleena on Sunday.

Speaking at during the opening of Wednesday's Tonight with Andrew Marr, LBC's host said: "Now there has been a NATO summit today and plots in the commons and I don’t care.

"I’m thinking about somebody who seems to have been a better human being than any of our leaders her name is… Her name was Zara Aleena.

"Another woman murdered on a London street, here is what her family said after what happened on Sunday night.

"Zara was our love in human form. At the age of five she said she was going to be a lawyer.

"Shrieking with joy when she spotted the birds as a child – she would giggle and make us laugh. She was always the bigger person in any situation.

"She was always the bigger person in any situation.

"She was the rock of our family. And by the way she did become a lawyer.

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"Zara was happy her family say, and a point in her life when her joy was radiating and blossoming she was ready to make a family of her own.

"And here’s something else about Zara, she walked everywhere, she put her party shoes in a bag and donned her trainers, she walked, she believed that a woman should be able to walk home.

"But on Sunday night she never made it home. She was only ten minutes away when she was attacked by a stranger who left her with terrible injuries.

"She was found by members of the public, lying alone and she died. Something awful is happening on the streets of London.

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"Today Zara Aleena’s family sent their sympathies to the families of Bibaa Henry; Nicole Smallman; Sarah Everard; Sabina Nessa; Ashling Murphy and many more.

"Now listen, for every woman killed on the streets of London by a man, dozens more run for their lives down darkened streets. For every one thousands decided ‘do you know what? I think I won’t go out tonight after all’.

"And tens of thousands flinch and feel frightened in their neighbourhoods, the very places that should feel like home. I say it again, something terrible is happing on the streets of London.

"This huge, sophisticated, rich city is being scared by an epidemic of male violence against women and it is not being properly policed.

"The Met? Disgraceful, in special measures and leaderless."