Protesters dump rotten apples outside Scotland Yard after police rape confessions

British activists and campaigners protesting domestic abuse and violence against women have dumped rotten apples outside Metropolitan Police headquarters in London.

London police were confronted by the sight of 1,071 plastic rotten apples outside their headquarters on Friday after New Scotland Yard said earlier this week that as many police forces had been under investigation following one of its officers’ admission of 24 counts of rape and a string of other sex offenses.

“We’ve been told time and time again that it’s just one bad apple here and there, but this is actually a fundamental problem right across policing,” said Ruth Davison, head of the domestic abuse charity Refuge, which organized the protest.

“It has to be called out now because women’s lives are at risk,” Davison added.

The Refuge CEO called for any officer facing formal allegations to be suspended while an investigation takes place.

“At the moment, as women and girls, how can we — if we experience a crime — feel confident to go the police knowing that the person we speak to maybe a perpetrator?” Davison said.

New Scotland Yard, which has over the past years faced a string of scandals linked to corruption, racism and misogyny, is Britain’s biggest police force with more than 43,000 staff and responsibility for issues such as terrorism and extradition.

Refuge has called for “urgent and radical change” and advocated for fast-track legislation to improve vetting and disciplinary standards across police forces and mandatory training for all officers on issues concerning violence against women.

MG