Heavy-handed police arrests at a London violence-against-women vigil in memory of Sarah Everard, killed while walking home, have sent images of a small woman being cuffed face down on the ground round the world. In the event only four were arrested for public order offences and breach of Covid laws but the furore has seen widespread calls for the resignation of the Met Police Chief Cressida Dick. A Met police constable and firearms officer assigned to parliamentary and diplomatic protection has been charged with Sarah Everard’s kidnap and murder.
Cressida Dick, 16 October 1960, has tap danced through a fair number of missteps in her career. She was in charge of the 2005 operation which saw an innocent Brazilian De Menezes shot, having been mistaken for a terrorist after the London 7/7 bombings. More recently she sanctioned the disastrous and damaging botched Operation Midland investigation into paedophiles at Westminster, relying on fantasist Carl Beech’s testimony. She was also criticised for the light-touch policing of Extinction Rebellion demos in 2019.
Born into a distinguished academic family, she’s a Sun Libra with a talented but hard-edged and ultra-determined Half Grand Sextile from Saturn in Capricorn opposition Mars in Cancer sextile trine Neptune and Pluto; with a charming though outspoken Venus Mercury in Scorpio square Uranus and an adventurous/lucky Uranus trine Jupiter. Her Moon is in Leo or Virgo. She looks more than devastated at the moment with her Solar Arc Pluto conjunct her Neptune and worse in 2023 with a panicky-failure Solar Arc Neptune opposition Mars.
Her Term chart, 10 April 2017, always pointed to this year as being one of disruption and upheaval as tr Pluto squares the Uranus, which often coincides with a fall-off-perch moment. It returns for a final direct aspect mid August to the year end; and if that doesn’t do it, then 2022 has Solar Arc Pluto square the Uranus. Not that she’ll be short of a lucrative bolt hole with her CV and background when she moves on.
The Metropolitan Police was formed by Robert Peel on 29 September 1829, which oddly enough also has a Libra Sun and Moon. The scales of justice make sense, even if more in the aspiration than practice. It has an entrepreneurial, super-confident, arrogant Fire Grand Trine of Jupiter trine Saturn in Leo trine Pluto, which forms into a Kite with Pluto opposition the Sun – certainly controlling, at times overly forceful, stubborn, resistant to change.
It is an accurate chart since the recent Operation Midland screw up (2016) showed up clearly with tr Pluto conjunct the Met Neptune and tr Uranus square.
The earlier catastrophic hit for the Met’s reputation from the conclusions of the 1999 inquiry into the death of Stephen Lawrence which found the investigation had been incompetent with a failure of leadership; and that the Met were institutionally racist – coincided with a nerve-stretched tr Neptune conjunct the Met Uranus, tr Uranus opposition the Met Saturn and tr Pluto conjunct one leg of the Met Grand Trine exerting pressure for change. Though the fall out continued for years with further allegations of police corruption in helping to hide the killers of Lawrence; with pressure internally to smear the credibility of the Lawrence who were campaigning for further investigations into his death.
At the moment the Met chart has tr Neptune opposition the Mars picking up from mid this April, running on and off throughout 2022 to January 2023. That usually coincides with damage to reputation and unsuccessful plans as well as stalled progress. And it will face more damage in two and three years as the Solar Arc Mars opposes the Sun and is conjunct the Pluto. That could be a significant setback of collision proportions or a particularly risky patch with major accidents or terrorist attacks.
Well they do enforce the hate crime bill which discriminates against women defending sex based rights and if women march heaven help them. I am not anti police but they need to address issues around women especially given virtually no rape complaints are prosecuted in the UK since a law change. This was a vigil and how hard was it to be respectful? A NZ Police Commissioner recently said the last thing police want is to lose public co operation and trust. Well I would find it very hard to go on a women’s march after this.
Thank you Marjorie. The heavy handed policing was a horrible sight, and somewhat bewildering considering how police generally stood back at the BLM protests during this corona virus year. Astonishing to see this behaviour, too, at a vigil for a woman murdered by a Met police officer.
The lack of follow up on the earlier instance of ‘flashing’ by the man who killed Sarah Everard, may simply be that they did not realise he was an officer. Ignoring what are regarded as ‘minor’ crimes of this nature is widespread. While many ‘flashers’ and others who commit various forms of sexual harassment may just carry on doing that, others may go on to commit far more serious crimes – as we clearly, and tragically, see now. The extent of unreported crimes of many types (theft, mugging, antisocial behaviour etc) is huge, because people know they won’t get anywhere. In part this is an issue of resources, but not entirely. It is also an issue for the CPS to consider and review. They are certainly not blamless in all of this.
It’ll be interesting to see what happens in June and early July when Mars in Leo conjuncts the Met’s Saturn, opposing transiting Saturn in Aquarius and square Uranus in Taurus. Mars in Scorpio in November will also activate the Met’s fixed planets. At the moment, Saturn is square Venus in the Met chart – quite a good symbol for what has just happened this weekend. I wonder, too, whether the great conjunction in December at 0 Aquarius was close enough to the Met’s Uranus at 2 Aquarius. Jupiter and Saturn have links with law and order, and the three planets together could point to collective Aquarian change?
Yes Jane, just to clarify earlier post, the Met didn’t actually drop any investigation into the suspect over the IE incident, they simply failed to investigate at all.
Chiron in the Met natal chart is at 6 27’ or thereabouts and so is feeling the effects of the transit Uranus/Saturn square. Natally the Met chart has a T-square on Uranus in Aquarius involving Mercury in Scorpio opposition Chiron in Taurus. I wonder what Uranus here represents?
Sorry I meant Chiron is at 6 27’ of Taurus.
I’ve been wondering about what Uranus represents here too, VF. I thought about it’s role as the awakener in that t-square – with Mercury in Scorpio being the classic detective mind, and Chiron in Taurus maybe representing crimes against property, theft of valuables and so on – as well as our fragile feelings of security in general. I suppose it might also represent new ways of detection, data analysis etc. in some way. But I must say my heart sank when I heard on the news that one government response to this crisis is to do more about street lighting and cctv. That seemed to me to be quite detached and Aquarian, with a naive faith in technology. Neither a well lit road nor numerous cameras prevented Sarah Everard’s abduction and murder. Or indeed numerous other assaults and murders during the day, or at night.
CCtv is helpful in detection of crime of course. But it does not prevent people commiting crimes. And it is of zero comfort, for instance, if you are standing alone on a station platform waiting for a train in the evening, or even during the day, and then someone dubious approaches you. What you need then is staff. What you need in the streets are, dare I say it, police walking about on the old fashioned beat. That would probably be represented by the earth signs, or perhaps water with its intuitive instincts.
Just typical of this shambolic, tin-eared cabinet to get it so wrong – so not only are they bringing in laws to undermine the right to protest, but recommending a 10 year sentence for vandalism of a statue and only 5 years for rape! Meanwhile a probationary Met officer has been suspended for sending a sick joke about the body of Sarah Everard to colleagues.
I see the Uranus in the Met chart as scientific and technological advances in and through detection and yes, that Scorpio Mercury couldn’t be more apt as a signature for detection. There’s no doubt that the tools needed for success in detection have advanced significantly since the police force was established, from the earliest forensic photography (famously used in the 1888 London Ripper case), fingerprinting, forensic psychological profiling (although this is used much more in the USA) to DNA profiling which is becoming increasingly complex and sophisticated.
Another thing that struck me – Cressida Dick has the typical Mars/Saturn aspect which you find often in the charts of Police and Military. But that same planetary combination is also known as the Assassin signature and is common in the charts of criminals. Police and criminals share this very same energy.
Yes, I agree about the scientific methods of detection, and Uranus. It would be interesting to see if there are transits to the Met chart that coincide with the adoption of these methods, if it’s possible to nail down dates. August 1888 shows that the Met was about to have it’s Saturn return. Today it’s the Saturn opposition. Neptune (photography) in media Gemini was trine the Met’s Uranus. Pluto, also in Gemini, was trine it’s Sun. The Met were widely criticised in the press for their inability to catch “Jack”.
I also agree about Mars/Saturn – such a strong combination. I’d say Mars/Pluto might also be found in charts on both sides of the law. I suppose there has to be a cross-over between the two energies – to catch someone you must be able to think like them in some way. Probably that’s very true of anyone working with internet based crime, fraud, hacking and so on – a combination of Uranus, Neptune and Mercury perhaps?
Well, as Queen of Procrastination here, I had to look up the use of fingerprints in the UK! The first UK trial/investigation using them was 27th June, 1902. A Fingerprint Bureau was established at Scotland Yard the same year. June 1902 has the opposition between Uranus in Sagittarius and Pluto in Gemini, at 18 degrees they are approaching the square to the Met’s Mars in Virgo. Retrograde Mercury in Gemini -ace trickster – squares the Met’s nodes (the people?). Saturn in late Capricorn also aspects the nodes and Venus. Jupiter was in Aquarius – maybe signifying legal innovations? The case was a burglary case – quite Mercurial. Gemini planets are Mercury, Mars, and Pluto. Uranus in Sagittarius, Moon in Pisces. This Met chart appears to work rather well.
Oh you can’t be worse than I am on the procrastination front, Jane.
That’s most interesting and I had never really thought about it but Gemini and Mercury do have a connection with crime, thieves and confidence tricksters, and of course, Gemini/Mercury conjunct Pluto just had to play a role in the Fingerprint Bureau’s natal chart, didn’t they? Jupiter is in Aquarius right now too. Would it be too much for us to expect some progress on justice for women I wonder?
I have Mercury/Mars in Scorpio and have always had an interest in true crime, forensic psychology and profiling. My grandmother also had Mercury conjunct Mars in Scorpio (Mercury/Mars in Scorpio is something of a family pattern) and she was a big Sherlock Holmes fan, was a member of the Sherlock Holmes Society and wrote articles for its magazine. The most famous crime scene photographer I can think of, namely ‘Weegee’ or Ascher Fellig (his real name), an Austrian-Hungarian who worked in the US in the 20th century is a Sun/Mercury/Pluto all conjunct in Gemini. His crime scene photos are raw and shocking, and horribly atmospheric if I can say that.
Perhaps we can share the Procrastination Crown?! My strategies are invariably “useful” on the surface. Tasks loom, but are ignored with amazing ease!
Yes, with the Aquarian Saturn and Jupiter now I have wondered whether something new could emerge on the legal front. And maybe it would benefit women in some way – goodness knows there’s more than enough to work with! I may check the positions of the asteroids and BML too, to see if they tell any kind of story. Certainly Ceres symbolism can be seen right now. It is in Aries, action and battles. I thought about the myth of Ceres’ daughter’s abduction by Pluto when I saw the heartbreaking photo of Sarah Everard wearing a crown of flowers in the papers at the weekend.
Well, there’s a conjunction of Ceres and Chiron in Aries right now. So then a symbolism of woundedness comes into play, that makes a lot of sense. It’s funny, Aries is often emphasised where there is a rising up of pleas for liberty which results in protest. I’m thinking of Neptune’s transit into Aries in a few years too and wonder what that will bring.
If we didn’t already have selfies, I think Neptune in Aries would bring them – the Self, plus photography! Mid 19th century – last Neptune in Aries – was a very innovative time in many ways. Although, also, the American Civil War…..Not sure. Fiery mists and a new way of looking at dreams – suppose Neptune in Aries could be a ‘spiritual warrior’, but that idea makes me nervous.
A bit off topic I’m afraid, but I think the Selfie culture was all about the Uranus/Pluto square. In particular with Uranus in Aries, the revolution in camera/mobile tech enabling anyone to project their self image using technology. Something like the Kardashians encapsulates this in that they were able to make riches (Pluto) from using their self-image as a profession (Capricorn).
There’s been quite a time of women’s protests recently, from Poland to Belarus to Australia, and in some US states right now abortion rights are under grave threat. I believe BML has been in Taurus, conjunct Uranus. That, and the Ceres/Chiron conjunction in Aries are reflecting these movements and the mythology, as you say is intriguing.
It wasn’t a banned march or protest. It was a vigil for Sarah by ordinary women who know how easily it could have been one of them. I didn’t like what the police did either but they were following orders laid down by our parliament. Curtailment of our basic rights and freedoms backed up by threats of huge fines and/or imprisonment continues apace with both tories and labour vying to be the more draconian, all whilst over 80% of over 60’s and those at risk have been vaccinated and covid levels are very low. The heart is being ripped out of this country at the moment and there appears to be very little decency on show from those who should know better.
There was no justification for the kind of violent physical restraint of peaceful protesters. The reason for the march being unlawful was coronavirus, but that is no reason to manhandle young women.
There appears to be a general policing problem, whether here in the US or across the Pond (or, really, just about anywhere): the disproportionate use of force, particularly in protests and rallies, no matter how peaceful (reflexive need to exert ‘authority’ via power ?), and where the protesters have less power (women, BLM, the people of Myammar, HK), as opposed to the white supremacists rioters at the Capitol who were given the benefit of the doubt.
Meanwhile real justice, not just ‘law enforcement’, continues to be difficult to attain. Rallies in Australia protested both events in London as well as the continued, unaddressed sexual violence there.
There was an excellent NY Times article on how society places the entire burden of preventing violence on women, essentially telling us to stay home, blaming victims. Otherwise it’s our fault if anything happens to us (including protesting at marches). Isn’t this the same mentality certain Arab countries use to tell women to cover themselves and stay inside? The only reason I’ve ever wished at times I were a man is that, as a curious, adventurous spirit, I couldn’t just go anywhere on my own out of fear for my safety. Not because of glass ceilings and workplace discrimination, real as they are. But physical violence overrides them
all.
Thank you, Marjorie. The policing at the vigil was excessive. It was incredible that Cressida Dick refused to step down over the disgraceful VIP paedophile investigation which left many individuals’ names smeared, forever associated with those allegations. Carl Beech’s ex partner had repeatedly told the Met he was a habitual fantasist.
The Met has never been popular with Londoners, even in its early days in the late 1820s and 1830s – there has always been a lack of trust and public suspicion of corruption, the Met’s Moon in Libra square Neptune in Capricorn perhaps reflects that public scepticism.
But there will be more appalling incidents to come – when sisters, Nicole Smallman, 27 and Bibaa Henry, 46 were found stabbed to death on Blackheath Common last year, a Met police officer posed for selfies with the bodies and distributed the images to other officers and members of the public. The suspect charged with the murder of Sarah Everard, who was employed by the Met exposed himself in public 3 days before the murder and the Met dropped any investigation against him.
Sir Robert Mark’s famous definition of a successful police force was one which catches more criminals than it employs.
LGIt’s
We don’t know all the details but if Couzens was a suspect in a case of indecent exposure then I am astounded that he was not immediately suspended from duty by the Met. Of course, he is not the first killer to go through their ranks. Dennis Nilsen, the serial killer, spent some time as a Special Constable at Willesden Station.
Thanks Hugh. Love the quote from Sir Robert Mark.
The latest reports are that UK Metropolitan Police is to be investigated over its handling of an allegation of indecent exposure against the officer suspected of murdering Sarah Everard. According to BBC, the Met had received a report that a man had exposed himself at a fast-food restaurant in south London on February 28 – three days before the 33-year-old marketing executive disappeared. Now, the police watchdog will consider if the officers “responded appropriately” to the alleged incident.
It was anarchists taking over a banned march, unfortunately nothing to do with poor Sarah’s death. The media stirring things up! Our police need support because they get little from the politicians who look to their own backs. DIGRACEFUL!
@Lynn Zielinski, yes, blame the big, bad anarchists… I have written about this before, but I used to be a moderate, law abiding early middle aged woman until 2015, thinking policemen were mostly good (I’ve lived with one, also a good childhood friend’s father was one, as was my father’s best friend). But during the Refugee Crisis, Literal Nazis were demonstrating near my work place and harassing people asking for a fair chance of asylum under international law. And you know who protected these people from Nazi violence? Not our lovely, local police officers, who were in many cases actually siding with Nazis (I saw not only non-action, but smoldering talk), but those “scary” anarchists. Because they’ve had a lot of practice in this, and are mostly absolutely non-provocative. In case anarchists were present at Sarah Everard demonstration, I am almost certain they did nothing to provoke cobs but shout ACAB. That trained officers took violent action is, the very least, a demonstration they are not very good at their job.