A 67-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted rape after a woman was attacked at a cinema in north London.
A woman, in her 30s, reported that she had been attacked at a cinema in Finchley at around 3.45pm on June 11.
She is being supported by specialist officers, the Met said.
He was arrested in Primrose Hill yesterday and remains in police custody.
Heidi Riedel, CEO at Woman’s Trust, said a woman being targeted in a cinema showed how brazen attackers were becoming, targeting women in their everyday activities.
She told Metro: ‘This is a shocking incident – no one should feel unsafe at the cinema, or when they are out and about doing routine activities.
‘While this is hopefully an isolated event, it is an indication of how serious the violence against women and girls epidemic is here in the UK, and how bold and opportunistic perpetrators can be.
‘Most importantly, we hope the woman is safe and getting the proper support she needs, including specialist counselling, to help her process this traumatic event.’
Detective Chief Inspector Paul Ridley, leading the Met’s investigation, said: ’Our thanks go to the public who worked quickly to share the appeal, leading to the arrest.
‘I know this incident will have caused concern for the local community, so I’d like to reassure Londoners that this investigation is progressing at pace.
‘Our commitment remains that women and girls in London should feel safe going about their daily lives.
This Is Not Right
On November 25, 2024 Metro launched This Is Not Right, a year-long campaign to address the relentless epidemic of violence against women.
With the help of our partners at Women’s Aid, This Is Not Right aims to shine a light on the sheer scale of this national emergency.
You can find more articles here, and if you want to share your story with us, you can send us an email at vaw@metro.co.uk.
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‘Local neighbourhood officers continue to patrol in the surrounding area, so if anyone has any concerns, please do talk to them as they are here to help.’
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