he Met police is facing questioning over the arrests of dozens of people during the King’s Coronation amid concern that “heavy-handed” policing affected the right to protest.
Officers made 64 arrests on Saturday during a series of demonstrations by anti-monarchy groups.
Three women’s personal safety volunteers patrolling Soho and handing out rape alarms were among those detained in the early hours of Coronation day, sparking condemnation from campaigners.
In response, the Met said it had “received intelligence that indicated groups and individuals seeking to disrupt coronation proceedings were planning to use rape alarms to disrupt the procession”.
Four charges have been made by police so far, with one suspect accused of a religiously aggravated public order offence and two others accused of possession of class A drugs.
Another suspect is accused of an offence under section 5 of the Public Order Act – with all four due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court later this month.
Green Party politician Caroline Russell, who chairs the London Assembly’s Police and Crime Committee, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that the arrests were “really worrying” and would be scrutinised.
“It felt like for someone who was trying to protest, and trying to do it by the book, it was very difficult to understand what the rules were.”
She added: “The Police and Crime Committee, we question the mayor, Mopac (Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime) and the Metropolitan Police, we meet every fortnight, so of course we will be questioning this because I’m sure members of all parties will want to have their questions answered.”
Anti-monarchy protesters at the Coronation
/ PA WireRepublic chief executive Graham Smith was among those detained by officers while unloading placards from a van near Trafalgar Square.
He was arrested on suspicion of being equipped for locking on, an offence introduced under the Public Order Act which took effect last week.
Mr Smith told the BBC that his arrest was not necessary to limit disruption, calling it “disgraceful”.
“That’s not an excuse to rob people of their rights. It’s not an excuse to arrest people and detain them for 16 hours because some people want to enjoy a party.
“That’s a disgraceful suggestion and quite frankly this is a political issue and therefore obviously it’s going to face protest.”
He said partygoers should put up with the protests, adding: “You cannot say that they have to enjoy a party and therefore other people should be arrested.”
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Ken Marsh, chairman of the Metropolitan Police Federation, which represents rank and file officers, defended the actions of the force.
He said: “I don’t doubt [there] were honest individuals handing out rape alarms but we have to be alert to the risks of, for example, alarms getting into the wrong hands.
“We had the power and ability to do what we did — it was necessary to allow what was the biggest event in the world to take place. Many people were dearrested and there was no harm done. Our role is to protect the public, and may I add I think we did it superbly.”
Shadow public health minister Andrew Gwynne said that “time will tell” if the Met were heavy handed in their policing of the Coronation.
He told Sky News: “People have a right to express a different view, a different opinion, and they also have the right to offend as well.”
Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer told Sky News’ Sophy Ridge that police got the “balance right” between allowing protest and enjoyment of the King’s Coronation.
