…By Lola Smith for TDPel Media.
The Metropolitan Police (Met) has apologised for the arrests of six anti-monarchy protesters on the day of the King’s Coronation.
The protesters had been arrested on suspicion of plotting to “lock-on” and cause disruption but no evidence was found to support this suspicion.
The Met expressed regret that the arrested individuals were unable to join the other protesters.
The Met has faced heavy scrutiny over its handling of the event, and there have been demands from MPs for an explanation of its operations.
The Met has also been accused of arresting volunteers handing out rape alarms in Soho the night before the Coronation.
The force made a press release on Sunday night stating that 64 arrests had been made on the day of the Coronation, with four individuals charged.
Two of the charged individuals were set to appear in court on Tuesday, but reporters discovered that they had been brought to the magistrates court quietly the day before.
On Monday, a man and a woman appeared in court, and the details of the hearings were provided by an official at Westminster magistrates court.
No details of prosecution or defence submissions were available for either hearing.
Graham Smith, chief executive of anti-Monarchy group Republic, was among the six arrested and rejected an apology offered to him by the Met.
The Coronation was the first major test of the new police powers brought in by the government’s Public Order Act.
Analysis and Commentary:
The controversy surrounding the arrests of anti-monarchy protesters during the Coronation highlights the tensions that exist between the right to protest and the need to maintain public order.
The Met’s apology for the arrests suggests that there were shortcomings in their handling of the event, and raises questions about the balance between security and freedom of expression.
The accusations of arresting volunteers handing out rape alarms also add to concerns about the use of police powers in suppressing legitimate protests.
The Met’s actions have come under heavy scrutiny, with calls for greater transparency and accountability in their operations.
The Coronation has served as a significant test for the new police powers, and the outcome of the protests and the arrests will likely influence the future use of these powers.