Yvonne Joyce Fletcher

Died

:

17 April 1984

Age

:

25

Rank

:

Woman Police Constable

Force

:

Metropolitan Police

Cause

:

Homicide - Shot

Duty Status

:

On Duty

Roll of Honour Citation

Shot in the back and fatally wounded while policing a political demonstration at the Libyan Embassy.

WPC Yvonne Fletcher was part of a detachment of 30 police officers sent to St James’s Square to monitor a demonstration. They were accompanied by members of the Diplomatic Protection Group.

About 75 protestors arrived from across the country, particularly northern England; the demonstration began around 10 am. Many of the demonstrators were wearing masks or balaclavas, to ensure photographers from the Libyan Embassy could not record their identities. They stayed behind barriers placed opposite the Embassy; they chanted anti-Gaddafi slogans and carried banners and placards.

A counter-demonstration by Gaddafi supporters had been arranged by the Embassy and took place outside the building. The demonstrations were filmed by several international television crews invited by the Libyans.

At 10:18 am automatic gunfire was discharged from two windows of the Embassy building in the direction of the anti-Gaddafi demonstration. The gunfire wounded eleven protestors; according to the post-mortem examination report, one round entered WPC Fletcher’s back.

While the demonstrators were moved into Charles II Street, WPC Fletcher was aided by her colleagues; as she lay in the road outside the Embassy, she advised them to “keep calm”. She was moved to Charles II Street; she became unconscious and stopped breathing as colleagues tried to render first aid.

At 10:40 am an ambulance took her to Westminster Hospital. As she was being transferred from the ambulance to a hospital trolley, a single spent round of ammunition fell from her uniform. She was operated on, but died at approximately midday.