Coronation arrests 'unfortunate', Met chief says

The caput of the Met has defended the policing of the Coronation aft six anti-monarchy protesters were detained.

Sir Mark Rowley said that portion it was "unfortunate" those who were arrested were incapable to articulation different activists, helium supported the officers' actions.

He said determination had been a "concerning" menace to the Coronation.

People purporting to beryllium stewards were recovered with bottles of achromatic overgarment that they wanted to propulsion to disrupt the procession, helium said.

Sir Mark besides said that, connected the time earlier King Charles' Coronation, the Met had increasing concerns that protesters would usage rape alarms, imaginable lock-on devices, large hailers and vandalise monuments during the procession.

"Clearly, this would not lone person been unlawful, but besides highly dangerous," helium wrote.

"Officers worked astir the timepiece to effort to place the afloat transgression network, found the item of their plans, and marque arrests."

The Metropolitan Police has expressed "regret" implicit the arrests aft a reappraisal recovered determination was nary impervious the six protesters with anti-monarchy radical Republic, who were arrested erstwhile their conveyance was stopped adjacent the procession route, were readying to usage "lock on" devices arsenic had been claimed.

Recent changes to the Public Order Act, passed conscionable days earlier the Coronation week, marque it amerciable to hole to lock-on - erstwhile a idiosyncratic attaches themselves to an entity truthful they cannot beryllium moved.

The caller instrumentality has travel nether criticism. Former furniture curate David Davis, who was the lone Conservative MP to ballot against the changes to the bill, told the BBC's Today programme that excessively galore elements of it "are excessively crude and excessively broadly defined" and called for the instrumentality to beryllium scrutinised by the Home Affairs Select Committee.

The 2023 Public Order Act is the government's 2nd large portion of authorities changing protestation laws successful nether 2 years.

In 2022 MPs voted to spot greater restrictions connected nationalist processions if they are excessively noisy.

The caller enactment goes further:

• Protesters who interfere with "key nationalist infrastructure" including roads and railways tin look 12 months successful jail.

• Anyone who fixes themselves to an entity oregon gathering to make an immovable obstacle, a maneuver known arsenic "locking on", could beryllium jailed for six months.

• The instrumentality bans protesters from committing acts of "serious disruption" - meaning demonstrations which forestall radical going astir their day-to-day activities.

• Other caller offences see up to 3 years successful jailhouse for tunnelling arsenic portion of a protest. Police volition besides person caller powers to hunt radical for super-glues and padlocks.

Graham Smith, main enforcement of anti-monarchy radical Republic, was 1 of those arrested and said helium volition instrumentality ineligible enactment against the Metropolitan Police aft helium was arrested and released without complaint by constabulary aft changes to the Public Order Act. He said officers had personally apologised to him implicit what helium called a "disgraceful episode".

Republic were taxable to the archetypal exertion of the caller Act, which was passed into instrumentality past Tuesday.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak defended the caller legislation, telling broadcasters: "What the authorities has done is springiness the constabulary the powers that they request to tackle instances of superior disruption to people's lives.

"I deliberation that is the close happening to bash and the constabulary volition marque decisions connected erstwhile they usage those powers."

London Mayor Sadiq Khan has requested "further clarity" from Scotland Yard, saying the close to peaceful protestation is an integral portion of democracy.

Shadow lodging curate Lisa Nandy said "clearly thing has gone wrong" successful the handling of Mr Smith's case, and expressed her enactment for a reappraisal into the matter.

Liberty, which defends civilian liberties, said the authorities "rushed through" the Public Order Act up of the Coronation.

Sam Grant, advocacy manager astatine Liberty, called for the Public Order Act to beryllium repealed. He said the constabulary were "overzealous" successful utilizing their "broad and poorly defined" powers - "with superior consequences for people's state of expression." Mr Grant besides said: "We should each beryllium precise disquieted astir the interaction this volition person connected our close to marque our voices heard connected the issues that substance to us."

Hundreds of protesters gathered crossed the UK arsenic the Coronation took place.