Reclaim the Night 2021

2021 and women were on the streets yet again. We marched from Marble Arch to Picadilly, making known our resistace to male violence against women. Our wonderful women speakers in 2021 were:

• Anneliese Dodds MP, Labour Member of Parliament for Oxford East, Shadow Women & Equalities Secretary: anneliesedodds.org.uk
• Patricia Chinyoka, an Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Consultant, CEO of Women of Zimbabwe, and founder of Care for Someone
• Susan Aitouaziz, Joint Chair of London East and South East TUC Women's Rights Committee and the National Education Union's London Women's Organising Forum

Read reports from the Huffington Post, Metro and Stylist.co.uk

Here is a selection of photos from the 2019 event, thanks to © Angela Christofilou.

Reclaim the Night 2020

In 2020, Reclaim The Night went online. Our rally this year centered the voices of Black women, and we were excited to be joined by:

• Femi Otitoju, Life long feminist, and campaigner, former chair of Women's Aid and founder of the equality training company Challenge Consultancy
• Michelle Daley for Million Women Rise. She is also a Director of the Alliance for Inclusive Education and co-founder of Sisters of Frida
• Rose Lewis from Sistahspace. A specialist service for African heritage women & girls who've experienced domestic or sexual abuse
• Georgina Robb from the Women and Girls Network A women-run service offering healing to women affected by violence and abuse. She is also a member of Million Women Rise
• Miss Yankey a performer and writer who will capture you with her powerful poetry

Reclaim the Night 2019

In 2019, we brought Oxford Street to a standstill and ended with a rally at Marble Arch. Thanks to everyone who attended, our stewards and security team and our amazing speakers and activists. In 2019 they were:

• Mandu Reid Leader of The Womens Equality Party.
https://www.womensequality.org.uk/
• Frances Scott, of 50:50 Parliament on their campaign to ensure greater participation of women in politics. https://5050parliament.co.uk/about/
• Lee Nurse, from Justice for Women on their recent successes and current campaigns: https://www.gofundme.com/JusticeForWomenCampaign

Here is a selection of photos from the 2019 event, thanks to © Angela Christofilou.

Reclaim the Night 2017

In 2017 we marked 40 years of RTN in the UK marching from Trafalgar Square to Camden. Thanks to everyone who attended our march, the men's vigil, or our rally, and to FILIA and Justice for Women for helping us to deliver the event. Thanks especially to our fantastic speakers for talking so powerfully about the campaigns they are engaged with.

• Stella Creasy MP, spoke about the need for abortion law reform in Northern Ireland.
• The campaign group IC Change who are pushing forward the ratification of the Istanbul Convention on Violence Against Women.
• Nimco Ali of the Women’s Equality Party and anti-FGM campaigner.
• The Not Buying It campaign discussed the objectification of women in the sex trade and normalisation of this by the mass media.
• Becca Mordan, of Scary Little Girls Theatre Company and co-founder of London Reclaim the Night.
• Justice for Women launched their campaign to support the cases of Sally Challen, Farieissia Martin and Emma-Jayne Magson: https://www.gofundme.com/JusticeForWomenCampaign.

Read reports from the Huffington Post, Metro and Stylist.co.uk

Here is a selection of photos from the 2017 event. Click to jump to the 2019, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005 or 2004 marches.

Reclaim the Night 2016

In 2016, we marched once again from The Houses of Parliament to a rally outside St Paul’s Cathedral.
Our amazing speakers on the night were:
Polly Neate of Women’s Aid
Emily Jacob offering her personal testimony as a survivor
Elizabeth Carola of Nordic Model Now

Here is a selection of photos from the 2016 event, thanks to our photographer Isabelle Gressel. Click to jump to the 2019, 2017, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005 or 2004 marches.

Reclaim the Night 2015

Thank you to our speakers at this event:
Finn Mackay – Founder of London Reclaim The Night
Rachel Moran – Space International
Marchu Girma – Women for Refugee Women
Zrinka Bralo – Women’s Refugee Commission
Diane Martin CBE – End Demand Campaign

Here's a video of the 2015 event (YouTube) and a selection of photos thanks to our photographer Isabelle Gressel. Click to jump to the 2019, 2017, 2016, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005 or 2004 marches.

Reclaim the Night 2014

Here is a selection of photos from the 2014 event, thanks to our photographers Isabelle Gressel and Delia Taffler. Click to jump to the 2019, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005 or 2004 marches.

Assembling

Assembling

Assembling

Setting off

First section of march up to and around Trafalgar Sq

First section of march up to and around Trafalgar Sq

First section of march up to and around Trafalgar Sq

First section of march up to and around Trafalgar Sq

First section of march up to and around Trafalgar Sq

First section of march up to and around Trafalgar Sq

First section of march up to and around Trafalgar Sq

First section of march up to and around Trafalgar Sq

First section of march up to and around Trafalgar Sq

First section of march up to and around Trafalgar Sq

First section of march up to and around Trafalgar Sq

Marchers

Marchers

Marchers

Marchers

Marchers

Marchers

Marchers

Marchers

Marchers

Arriving at the rally

Arriving at the rally

Arriving at the rally

Rooms of Our Own campaign

Kate Smurthwaite, compere, greets the crowd

Beti Baraki from Object

Frances Scott, 50:50 Campaign

Dr Finn Mackay, founder of London Reclaim The Night

Crowd cheers speakers

Bridget Minamore

Carmina Masoliver-Marlow

Nadia Kamil

Becca Morden of Scary Little Girls

Reclaim the Night 2013

Reclaim the Night 2013 was a fitting end to the fantastic Feminism in London conference. We took to the streets once again all the way to Trafalgar Square.

As the march followed FIL we did not have a separate rally, but instead went straight on to the after-party where we were entertained by Rosie Wilby, Naomi Paxton, and Carmina Masoliver, before dancing until the small hours.

A selection of photos is below, thanks to our feminist photographer Charlotte Barnes. Click to jump to the 2019, 2017, 2016, 2015,2014, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005 or 2004 marches.

Marchers

Marchers

Still marching, still fighting

Cheering on the march

Marchers

Posing with the police

University of Birmingham Women's Association

Men supporting the march

The Green Party and others

Reclaim the Night 2012

Content to come...

Click to jump to the 2013, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005 or 2004 marches.

Reclaim the Night 2011

Reclaim the Night 2011 was greeted with perfect marching weather and thanks to printed song sheets and more megaphones we ensured our presence was known around the capital this year!

Our march was followed by our best rally ever, with over 1000 people staying to party and celebrate another great march, and another great year of feminist resistance.

A selection of photos is below, thanks to our feminist photographer Charlotte Barnes. Click to jump to the 2013, 2012, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005 or 2004 marches.

The front of the march

The front of the march

5% convictions is not enough

East London Fawcett Group

A girl on the march

A girl on the march

Kate with a megaphone

A woman on the march

Marchers

Join the third wave of feminists

In Trafalgar Square

The NUS banner

Riot don’t diet

RTN t-shirt stall

A woman on the march

Women Against the Cuts

Marchers and Big Ben

Becca at the rally

NUS speaker Estelle

Femi speaking for MWR

Salay and Julian on stage

Salay speaking from Afghanistan

Reclaim the Night 2010

Reclaim The Night 2010 was considerably dryer than last year, though snow stopped some of our sisters from attending. However over 2000 women did make it and joined us on 27 November to take back the streets of London for our 7th national Reclaim The Night march.

Photos are now up on this site, thanks to Charlotte, our official RTN Feminist Photographer, and a short video has been made by a comrade and uploaded onto YouTube here.

Click to jump to the 2013, 2012, 2011, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005 or 2004 marches.

Approaching Trafalgar Square

Front of the march and leading banner

Capitalism is a feminist issue

Marchers

The march with Big Ben behind

Girl on the march

Glasgow University feminists

Hollaback banner

The march

Passing Trafalgar Square

Marcher with flyers

Marchers with anti-rape placards

Mum and child on march

Million Women Rise

March with Centrepoint in the background

NUS women’s campaign banner

Redbridge against violence

Solent Feminist Network

Take Back the Tech

Trans women against violence

Woman and child marching

Woman with her mum on the march

Finn Mackay at the rally

Emma Humphreys award winners

Reclaim the Night 2009

On our 6th Reclaim The Night march women braved rain, storms and floods to travel from all over the UK to attend another huge women’s RTN through central London. This year our march was led by 50 women drummers from SheBoom, which is the largest women’s drumming band in Europe. Their presence ensured that everyone heard us coming and lots of women and girls joined in our march to dance along the streets with us. We marched from Whitehall again to a new venue this year at the Camden Centre near Kings Cross. Women were glad to find a licensed bar, a food hall with Caribbean food and lovely homemade cakes for sale! There were stalls from a variety of organsiations working for women and against male violence against women and children. As usual our rally had some great speakers from our sponsors the Teacher’s Union the NASUWT, the current NUS Women’s Officer, the Founder of the London Feminist Network and a speaker from Million Women Rise.

Following the rally the Emma Humphreys Memorial Prize was announced and this proved an uplifting and positive end to the formal proceedings, allowing us to focus on the wonderful and creative things that women are doing to campaign against male violence. The individual award went to long-time Feminist campaigner Sandra McNeill, from West Yorkshire Justice for Women and one of the first Reclaim The Night’ers in the 1970s! A special International award was given to Humanitarian Assistance to Women and Children of Afghanistan (HAWCA), a women’s group organising in Afghanistan. The group award went to our sisters in London, Object, and we were very pleased to see Anna and Sasha triumphantly collect their prize.

To celebrate these wonderful winning women and another great Reclaim The Night march we partied the night away to fabulous DJs. Thanks to everyone who organised the march this year, to all the Stewards and to the male Pro-Feminist Stewards that set up our venue.

See this website for photos and a great video made by Hannah on YouTube:

Click to jump to the 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005 or 2004 marches.

Texts of the speeches from the rally are also now up on our London Feminist Network website.

Baby buggy and women marching

Back of an LFN steward’s bib

The head of the march

Woman raising an Object placard

Large numbers on the march

A marcher leaflets Spearmint Rhino

The NUS banner

The WAST banner

White roses given out on the march

The march front

Women marching

Women with a long banner

Collecting the award for Object

Speaking at the rally

Speaking at the rally

Speakers at the rally

Speaking at the rally

Speakers at the rally

Speakers at the rally

Sandra MacNeill wins EHMP Award

Stalls at RTN

Stalls at RTN

Reclaim the Night 2008

Reclaim The Night 2008 celebrated 5 years of taking back the night on a cold but bright and sparky night! We marked our 5th anniversary march with over 2000 women from all across the country, including coaches from Birmingham. The march went through central London from Whitehall Place to the Friends’ Meeting House at Euston. A packed rally heard speeches from Jennifer Moses from the NASUWT, Teachers’ Union; Finn Mackay, founder of the London Feminist Network; Aravinda Kosaraju from the Coalition for the Removal of Pimping (CROP); Gita Patel from IMKAAN and Jane Gregory from Rape Crisis. You can read all their speeches on the LFN website. A special 5th Birthday party was then held at the Institute of Education Student Union bar with bands Dworkin, Zombina and more.

You can see a video of Finn Mackay’s speech at the rally on YouTube.

Click to jump to the 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2007, 2006, 2005 or 2004 marches.

BBC sound man on the march

Cynthia on the march

Donna and Ray marching

Elaine on the march

NASUWT banner on the march

South Coast Feminists banner

Woman smiling on the march

IMKAAN stall

The platform at the rally

Our flyer that year — click to download

We celebrated our 5th birthday with a brand new Reclaim The Night tee-shirt! This was produced in partnership with Rape Crisis and Unison. It is a colourful and powerful tee-shirt for all the women and men in your life and it can be ordered from the LFN website!

Reclaim the Night 2007

Over 1500 women took to the streets of central London for the 2007 Reclaim The Night march — shouting a loud NO to rape and male violence against women. Women travelled from all over the country to attend, and represented many different groups and organisations. Press coverage was unprecendented, with items on ITV, News 24, LBC, Radio 5 Live, BBC and regional television and radio.

The rally at the University of London Union drew over 800 people. Entertainment included rousing speeches from Julie Bindel, ‘The Guardian’ journalist, Ruqayyah Collector, NUS Black Students’ Officer, Kat Stark, NUS Women’s Officer, Jane Gregory, Bradford Rape Crisis, Diana Nammi, Iranian & Kurdish Women’s Rights Organisation, and Finn Mackay, Chair & Founder London Feminist Network. There were over 20 stalls representing different women’s groups, community safety organisations and trade unions. Bands Evi Vine and Dworkin and DJs Pam Savage played for the Reclaim The Right To Party party until 2am.

Click to jump to the 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2006, 2005 or 2004 marches.

Banner at the head of the march

One of the banners on the march

Feminist and fabulous...

Women on the march

Reclaim the Night 2006

Over 1000 women went on the march on 25 November 2006. The march was held in central London on International Day to End Violence Against Women. We assembled next to Nelson’s Column in Trafalgar Square at 6pm and marched through the streets of London to the University of London Union. Afterwards we had a mixed rally and Reclaim the Right to Party party, which went on late and included women DJs.

Click to jump to the 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2005 or 2004 marches.

Women on the 2006 march

We assembled next to Nelson’s Column in Trafalgar Square at 6pm

We marched through the streets of London...

... to the University of London Union

Women on the 2006 march

Women on the 2006 march

Women on the 2006 march

Afterwards we had a mixed rally and Reclaim the Right to Party party, which went on late and included women DJs

Reclaim the Night 2005

On Friday 25th November 2005, 700 women marched through the streets of central London against rape and male violence and in honour of Andrea Dworkin.

Click to jump to the 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006 or 2004 marches.

Women on the 2005 march

Women on the 2005 march

Women on the 2005 march

Audience at 2005 rally at University of London Union

Reclaim the Night 2004

2004 marked the first revival of the historic Reclaim the Night march by the London Feminist Network. It was the first women-only RTN march in London since the 1980s. Our march was started by Al Garthwaite, one of the organisers of the first ever Reclaim The Night marches in Britain. 50 women marched from Euston to Cambridge Circus in Soho for speeches and a rendition of the ‘Reclaim The Night’ song by Peggy Seegar.

Click to jump to the 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006 or 2005 marches.

Placards, drums and feather boas much in evidence

Cambridge Circus, Shaftesbury Avenue

Women on the 2004 march

Women on the 2004 march