Southall Black Sisters (SBS) led a solemn vigil opposite Downing Street on Tuesday (25 November 2025), bringing together bereaved families and campaigners to demand action over what they say is the continued failure to protect Black, minoritised and migrant women from men’s violence.
The gathering, held on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, formed part of the 16 Days of Activism. It came a day after the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) recommended misconduct proceedings against four Northamptonshire police officers over their handling of abuse allegations made by Harshita Brella before her death.
SBS executive director Selma Taha said the IOPC statement highlighted systemic failings. Ms Taha said: “This vigil is a wake-up call: drawing on the courage of bereaved families and campaigners, it demands an end to femicide, an end to silence, and urgent, tangible reforms the government must enact to protect women and girls.”
Harshita’s sister, Sonia Dabas, criticised the police response to her sibling’s pleas for help. Ms Dabas said: “I have been saying that the UK police let Harshita down, and now this has been officially confirmed by the IOPC statement. Now they are making these announcements and framing them as if a mistake was made, but they are not accepting that true accountability requires giving this case priority and setting an example to prevent another abuser like Pankaj Lamba.”
Families and supporters laid flowers and lit candles in memory of women killed by men’s violence. Speakers included SBS representatives, campaigners from Imkaan and the Femicide Census, and members of the Killed Women network, who campaign under the Invisible Women banner.
Among them was Bekhal Mahmod, whose sister, Banaz, was murdered in an “honour killing” in 2006. Ms Mahmod said in a written statement: “It seems nothing has changed since the murder of my beloved sister, Banaz. Despite more training and awareness, the police have not learnt the lessons.” She renewed calls for “Banaz’s Law”, which would make honour based abuse an aggravating factor in sentencing and be supported by statutory guidance.
SBS used the vigil to highlight legislative changes it is seeking through the Crime and Policing and Victims and Courts bills, including reforms on honour based abuse, abuse linked self harm, and protections for migrant women with no recourse to public funds, alongside calls for an independent public inquiry into femicide.
