City of Westminster safety volunteers patrol the streets around central London protecting women by handing out free rape alarms
English freelance reporter Mic Wright (38) revealed the Metropolitan Police had arrested members of a night-time women’s safety team as they handed out rape alarms ahead of Charlie’s big day.
The volunteers also gave out bottled water and flip-flops to vulnerable members of the public, but were scooped by officers in the early hours of coronation day.
Following his coverage of the arrests, Mr Wright posted on Twitter about his pal Lyra and how he was inspired by her, saying: “Reporting over this weekend, I was thinking of Lyra.
The Tweet released by the Metropolitan Police shortly after the safety volunteers had been detained
“I know what she would have told me: ‘Get them’. Lyra McKee — never forgotten, not for a day, an hour, or a minute'.
“I miss her every single day. I can end up in tears if I don’t think about what she’d have expected of me — get out there, help people, report it out. We needed her so much.
“If you don’t know Lyra McKee’s work look it up. And then expect of the journalists you trust that they work as hard as she did, that they care as much as she did, and that they elevate the voices of people whose voices are being ignored like she did. It’s what this should be.”
Responding to Mr Wright, a user with the handle @T_om_s, who has over 1,700 followers, said: “Any other dead journalists going to give you a posthumous endorsement today or is that your lot do you reckon?”
The post was met with a number of angry responses on Twitter and caused upset to Mr Wright.
Reacting to the crude jibe, he said: “I slept quite fitfully because I made the mistake of reading someone mocking me for talking about Lyra on here. She was my friend, a really good friend. I don’t have to prove that to anyone. People know.
“But someone sneered at me talking about my dead friend. And claimed I was saying she would endorse me from beyond the grave.
“She would have wanted the best for me like she did in life. I miss her deeply. And the grief is still raw.
“I have unfollowed everyone who was following this guy who mocked me, f*** this guy.
“I can’t accept someone mocking Lyra’s death and me caring about it.”
Alison Miller has made a film about her friend Lyra McKee
In April 2019 Lyra McKee was gunned down during a dissident republican riot in the Creggan in Derry.
The crime shook the north and led to an outpouring of public grief from friends, family and politicians as well as fellow journalists.
A documentary about her life, directed by Alison Millar, was released last November to a warm reception.
Responding to Mr Wright on Twitter, Ms Millar said: “Mic you are amazing — giving a voice to those they have tried to silence. Just as Lyra always did. If anyone is interested in knowing more about the mighty Lyra, Faber Books published Lost, Found, Remembered. Our film Lyra is also on Channel 4.”
“Your film made me cry so much x,” he replied, adding: “I will never forget her and never stop doing what she believed I could do”.
Police officers made the arrests on Coronation day
Ms Millar responded: “I know. She is so alive in the film & then we lose her all over again. What an incredible inspiration she was, you are so right. As she said, ‘It’s better to go down fighting…’ Sending best wishes back to you xx.”
The Met claimed to have “received intelligence” people “were planning to use rape alarms to disrupt the procession” during the coronation.
Two women (37) and (59) and a man (47) were arrested.
All three were released with no further action.
With many thanks to the: Sunday Life and John Toner for the original story.
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