The Metropolitan Police has expressed “regret” over the arrests of six anti-monarchy protesters ahead of the coronation after it announced no charges would be brought against them.
The chief executive of the campaign group Republic Graham Smith is now demanding a “full inquiry” into who authorised the arrests and prevented the group expressing their dissent as he threatened legal action over the “disgraceful episode”
Scotland Yard tonight (Monday) issued a lengthy statement tonight in which it confirmed Mr Smith and five others have been told they face no further action after being arrested on Saturday and bailed.
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The force said it had arrested the group under new powers after it was believed items found alongside a large number of placards could be used as “lock-on devices”.
“The investigation team have now fully examined the items seized and reviewed the full circumstances of the arrest,” the statement issued by the force said.
“Those arrested stated the items would be used to secure their placards, and the investigation has been unable to prove intent to use them to lock on and disrupt the event.
“This evening all six have had their bail cancelled and no further action will be taken. We regret that those six people arrested were unable to join the wider group of protesters in Trafalgar Square and elsewhere on the procession route.”
Mr Smith said a chief inspector and two other officers from the Met apologised to him personally at his home in Reading on Monday evening.
He told the Press Association: “I had three officers at my door personally apologising and handing the straps back to me. They were a chief inspector and two other officers from the Met. They seemed rather embarrassed to be honest. I said for the record I won’t accept the apology. We have a lot of questions to answer and we will be taking action."
The Met said 64 arrests were made on Saturday, 6 May, as part of the policing operation for the event in central London. A total of 52 of these related to 'concerns people were going to disrupt the event' and arrests included to prevent a breach of the peace and conspiracy to cause a public nuisance they said.
As part of the wider operation eight arrests were made for other offences including possession of an offensive weapon, drugs offences, and breaching a sexual harm prevention order.
So far four charges have been brought they said. However, they said some of the investigations are 'more complex' and 'require more time to progress all associated enquiries.'
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