Monday, May 08, 2023
Did the coronation end the right to protest in this country?
It looks like the Metropolitan police have been at it again, but this time they are backed up by some of the most draconian laws ever introduced in the UK.
The Independent reports that the chief executive of an anti-monarchy group who was arrested on the day of the King’s coronation has been released, after critics accused police of enforcing a “totalitarian crackdown.”
They add that Graham Smith was released after nearly 16 hours in police custody, while the majority of his Republic colleagues continued to be held:
Some 52 protesters from anti-monarchy and environmental groups were arrested on the day of the coronation, in what they slammed as a “dystopian nightmare”.
The Metropolitan Police had said it would facilitate anti-monarchy demonstrations unless they contravened existing laws or new powers that came into force last week banning “locking-on” and causing “serious disruption”.
But members of the Republic campaign group were arrested on Saturday morning and saw hundreds of placards reading “Not My King” seized by the force, despite gaining police permission for a rally in Trafalgar Square.
The group said its chief executive Graham Smith and five organisers were still in custody hours after the coronation had finished, writing on Twitter: “We are not being given a reason. They will probably be released when the whole monarchy PR show is over.”
One of the protesters joining the Republic rally, 30-year-old Harry Stratton, said police had told him that anyone getting in the way of the coronation procession “might get shot at”.
“They said ‘slogans. chanting - go for it - but if you start saying Andrew and the sex stuff we will start arresting,” he told The Independent.
Members of Republic were among around 50 protesters arrested, including other anti-monarchists, supporters of Just Stop Oil.
Animal Rising said a number of its supporters were apprehended on Saturday while at a training session “miles away from the coronation”.
Nathan McGovern, spokesman for the campaign group, described the arrests as “nothing short of a totalitarian crackdown on free speech and all forms of dissent”.
Amnesty International UK was among the human rights groups raising alarm about the arrests, saying peaceful protest was “clearly protected” under international law, while a Human Rights watch official slammed “scenes you’d expect to see in Russia not the UK”.
These are the sort of suppression techniques we could expect to see in a totalitarian regime, but it gets worse. The Independent also reports that Westminster Council are “deeply concerned” by reports that volunteers who work on women’s safety were arrested in the early hours of coronation day:
The Metropolitan Police said that at around 2am on Saturday three people were stopped by officers and arrested in the Soho area of central London on suspicion of conspiracy to commit public nuisance.
Among items seized were a number of rape alarms, the force said. Those arrested were reportedly volunteers with Westminster Council’s night life safety team.
The Met said it “received intelligence that indicated groups and individuals seeking to disrupt today’s coronation proceedings were planning to use rape alarms to disrupt the procession”.
However, Councillor Aicha Less, cabinet member for communities and public protection at Westminster City Council, said: “We are deeply concerned by reports of our Night Stars volunteers being arrested overnight.
“This service has been a familiar and welcome sight in the West End for a long time and have extensive training so they can assist the most vulnerable on the streets late at night.
“We are working with the Metropolitan Police to establish exactly what happened, and in the meantime, we are in touch with our volunteers to ensure they are receiving the support they need.”
Night Stars is a part of the council’s night safety campaign.
According to the council’s website, Night Star volunteers are “focused on working with the West End’s evening and night-time economy businesses to promote women’s safety and reduce violence against women and girls”.
It adds: “The team will provide wider support to anyone who becomes vulnerable due to intoxication to reduce the risk to their safety or prevent them from becoming victims of crime.
“The Night Safety volunteers aim to make London’s nightlife safer for everyone.
“They provide a welcoming place for all and collaborate to ensure that Westminster’s nightlife remains a safe, inclusive and enjoyable experience for residents and visitors alike.”
This is an established team of volunteers committed to helping vulnerable women, being targeted by the Met because they can't tell their arse from their elbow.
The Independent reports that the chief executive of an anti-monarchy group who was arrested on the day of the King’s coronation has been released, after critics accused police of enforcing a “totalitarian crackdown.”
They add that Graham Smith was released after nearly 16 hours in police custody, while the majority of his Republic colleagues continued to be held:
Some 52 protesters from anti-monarchy and environmental groups were arrested on the day of the coronation, in what they slammed as a “dystopian nightmare”.
The Metropolitan Police had said it would facilitate anti-monarchy demonstrations unless they contravened existing laws or new powers that came into force last week banning “locking-on” and causing “serious disruption”.
But members of the Republic campaign group were arrested on Saturday morning and saw hundreds of placards reading “Not My King” seized by the force, despite gaining police permission for a rally in Trafalgar Square.
The group said its chief executive Graham Smith and five organisers were still in custody hours after the coronation had finished, writing on Twitter: “We are not being given a reason. They will probably be released when the whole monarchy PR show is over.”
One of the protesters joining the Republic rally, 30-year-old Harry Stratton, said police had told him that anyone getting in the way of the coronation procession “might get shot at”.
“They said ‘slogans. chanting - go for it - but if you start saying Andrew and the sex stuff we will start arresting,” he told The Independent.
Members of Republic were among around 50 protesters arrested, including other anti-monarchists, supporters of Just Stop Oil.
Animal Rising said a number of its supporters were apprehended on Saturday while at a training session “miles away from the coronation”.
Nathan McGovern, spokesman for the campaign group, described the arrests as “nothing short of a totalitarian crackdown on free speech and all forms of dissent”.
Amnesty International UK was among the human rights groups raising alarm about the arrests, saying peaceful protest was “clearly protected” under international law, while a Human Rights watch official slammed “scenes you’d expect to see in Russia not the UK”.
These are the sort of suppression techniques we could expect to see in a totalitarian regime, but it gets worse. The Independent also reports that Westminster Council are “deeply concerned” by reports that volunteers who work on women’s safety were arrested in the early hours of coronation day:
The Metropolitan Police said that at around 2am on Saturday three people were stopped by officers and arrested in the Soho area of central London on suspicion of conspiracy to commit public nuisance.
Among items seized were a number of rape alarms, the force said. Those arrested were reportedly volunteers with Westminster Council’s night life safety team.
The Met said it “received intelligence that indicated groups and individuals seeking to disrupt today’s coronation proceedings were planning to use rape alarms to disrupt the procession”.
However, Councillor Aicha Less, cabinet member for communities and public protection at Westminster City Council, said: “We are deeply concerned by reports of our Night Stars volunteers being arrested overnight.
“This service has been a familiar and welcome sight in the West End for a long time and have extensive training so they can assist the most vulnerable on the streets late at night.
“We are working with the Metropolitan Police to establish exactly what happened, and in the meantime, we are in touch with our volunteers to ensure they are receiving the support they need.”
Night Stars is a part of the council’s night safety campaign.
According to the council’s website, Night Star volunteers are “focused on working with the West End’s evening and night-time economy businesses to promote women’s safety and reduce violence against women and girls”.
It adds: “The team will provide wider support to anyone who becomes vulnerable due to intoxication to reduce the risk to their safety or prevent them from becoming victims of crime.
“The Night Safety volunteers aim to make London’s nightlife safer for everyone.
“They provide a welcoming place for all and collaborate to ensure that Westminster’s nightlife remains a safe, inclusive and enjoyable experience for residents and visitors alike.”
This is an established team of volunteers committed to helping vulnerable women, being targeted by the Met because they can't tell their arse from their elbow.
And the force also repeated a faux pas by another force from November 2022, when they arrested journalist, Rich Felgate, who was reporting on a Just Stop Oil protester.
Felgate, who was also the victim in the previous incident, tweeted a video of the arrest, saying that he was wearing his credentials at the time. 'Police stopped me filming', he wrote, 'they ripped my press pass off and handcuffed me behind my back.'
So much for democracy and free speech.
Felgate, who was also the victim in the previous incident, tweeted a video of the arrest, saying that he was wearing his credentials at the time. 'Police stopped me filming', he wrote, 'they ripped my press pass off and handcuffed me behind my back.'
So much for democracy and free speech.
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MILITARY HORSES ARE TRAINED TO AVOID LOUD NOISES ie RAPE ALARMS.ARE NOT POLICE HORSES?
THE LAST FEW DAYS BEFORE THE CORONATION THE PROTESTS WOULD HAVE BEEN LEGAL.THEN AT THE LAST MINUTE NEW LAWS MADE THEM ILLEGAL DRACONIAN MEASURES TO STOP ALL PROTESTS. IF THESE LAWS ARE NOT REMOVED WE WILL BE JUST ANOTHER RUSSIA.I NOTE THAT ABROAD THESE PROTESTS ARE BEING COVERED.WHAT WILL THEY THINK OF THE UK?
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THE LAST FEW DAYS BEFORE THE CORONATION THE PROTESTS WOULD HAVE BEEN LEGAL.THEN AT THE LAST MINUTE NEW LAWS MADE THEM ILLEGAL DRACONIAN MEASURES TO STOP ALL PROTESTS. IF THESE LAWS ARE NOT REMOVED WE WILL BE JUST ANOTHER RUSSIA.I NOTE THAT ABROAD THESE PROTESTS ARE BEING COVERED.WHAT WILL THEY THINK OF THE UK?
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