ITV Good Morning Britain (GMB) viewers say they 'switched off' following 'terribly biased and shocking' comments from Kate Garraway and co-host Ed Balls about the Met Police's handling of protesters at the King's Coronation this weekend.
The Met said it arrested 64 people on Saturday, including members of Westminster city council's women's safety campaign Night Stars, who hand out rape alarms and other items.
Top cops said there were concerns the rape alarms could 'scare' the horses in the procession. This morning, veteran campaigner Peter Tatchell appeared on GMB to discuss the Metropolitan Police's response.
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The arrests resulted in a backlash from some quarters, with many claiming their right to free speech had been impacted. Peter claimed police officers initially agreed the campaign group Republic was allowed to protest at the coronation.
He told the hosts: "We're very disappointed and angry at police behaviour. In the weeks prior, Republic had negotiated with the police and secured the agreement that a protest could take place.
"They even designated the spot in Trafalgar Square. But on the day before the protests even began the six key organisers of the Republic were all arrested on fake charges by the police." When Peter tried to continue with what happened, he was interrupted by Kate, who said: "What were the charges and why were they fake?"
Peter answered Kate's question before she interrupted again and asked whether he thought the arrests were "pre-emptive". "Do you think that the purpose of pre-emptive policing is to try and prevent points of conflict, isn't it? And was that why they did it?" she said.
At one point, Ed swooped in to claim that the "police clearly had intelligence and then something changed." When Peter said it wasn't true, Ed said: "I don't know if that's not true."
Kate later defended the Met and told the guests: "Can I just say because the Met Police aren't here, they're sort of damned if they do and damned in they don't, aren't they?" Viewers were disappointed with the hosts and took to social media to criticise Kate and Ed for not being 'impartial' during the interview, reports the Mirror.
"So disappointed in @edballs," one user said. "Can’t believe he doesn’t understand the issue with stopping protest/free speech in a supposed “democracy”. Whether you agree with a cause or not it’s worrying. I don’t expect better from Kate Garraway but him."
Another slammed the show: "What is wrong with Kate Garraway this morning - overly defending the police over the peaceful #NotMyKing @RepublicStaff protestors being arrested & getting personally offended over that the #Coronation wasn't worth it debate. Feels a bit biased to me."
"Why does Kate, always have to, have the last word?" one user questioned while another added: "Kate and Ed terribly biased today …shocking." A disappointed user said: "Kate and Ed, shocking bias here! Completely missed the point!! Wow!! Unbelievable."
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