Two days after controversial arrests, the Met Police express their "regrets". On Saturday May 6, six anti-monarchy demonstrators were arrested ahead of the coronation ceremony of Charles III. They had been arrested before they could demonstrate, as they had planned. No prosecution should be brought against them.
Early Saturday morning, six members of the anti-monarchy group Republic, including their leader Graham Smith, were arrested in central London as they marched to Trafalagar Square to demonstrate at the King's Pass. The police had also seized their placards. They were released late on Saturday, more than sixteen hours after their arrest, drawing heavy criticism.
In a statement on Monday evening, the London police justified themselves at length by explaining that they had arrested six people "suspected of being equipped to chain themselves".
Under a law that came into force on Wednesday, criticized as far as the UN, British police can arrest people in possession of equipment likely to be used to chain themselves on public roads, a technique of protest and blocking regularly used by climate activists in the UK.
London police, however, added in their statement that "the investigation could not prove the intention to use (the seized objects) to chain and disrupt the demonstration". “We regret that the six people arrested were unable to join the group of protesters in Trafalgar Square and elsewhere on the route of the procession,” concludes Scoland Yard, stressing that no prosecution will be initiated.
The arrest of Graham Smith and five other Republic members on Saturday was heavily criticized by the hundreds of anti-monarchy protesters who had gathered to boo the carriage carrying Charles III to Westminster Abbey. "It's something you expect to see in Moscow, not in London," said human rights organization Human Rights Watch.
Graham Smith tweeted that three police officers attended his home on Monday evening and issued an apology. "The excuse is not accepted," he said. Earlier in the day, he had criticized the new Public Order Act, which he said was introduced "to give them the power to arrest us on any frivolous pretext". "We no longer have the right to demonstrate in this country, we only have the freedom to demonstrate with the permission of police and politicians," he told the BBC.
In total, London police made 64 arrests on King's Coronation Day, including environmental activists.
