Australian LGBT+ Activist Peter Tatchell Condemns Met Police’s Coronation Arrests
Image: Images: Peter Tatchell/Facebook. The Royal Family/Twitter
Australian LGBT+ activist, Peter Tatchell has spoken out against the Metropolitan Police (MP) who arrested peaceful protestors at the coronation of King Charles III.
The police have confirmed to have arrested six people who were peacefully protesting the coronation of King Charles III, with one of the people arrested being CEO of Republic, Graham Smith.
Multiple videos on social media show crowds of people at Trafalgar Square and Pall Mall holding and chanting 鈥楴ot My King.鈥� Tatchell has described the actions of the MP as 鈥渉eavy-handed.鈥�
鈥淸Metropolitian Police] are a threat to democracy & human rights! They arrested 6 leaders of a peaceful protest that police had previously OK’ed. Police held them for 16 hours & confiscated their phones for no good reason Proof that new anti-protest laws WILL crush peaceful protests,鈥� Tatchell later tweeted.
. are a threat to democracy & human rights!
They arrested 6 leaders of a peaceful protest that police had previously OK’ed
Police held them for 16 hours & confiscated their phones for no good reason
Proof that new anti-protest laws WILL crush peaceful protests
鈥� Peter Tatchell (@PeterTatchell)
Police arrest peaceful anti-monarchy protesters & have erected giant barriers to osbcure pro-republic banners. Right to freely protest suppressed. Shame!
鈥� Peter Tatchell (@PeterTatchell)
According to Smith, the police gave no indication that they would be against the group鈥檚 plans to protest.
鈥淲e have had two meetings with the Met police, and numerous phone conversations. They have repeatedly said they have no concerns about Republic鈥檚 plans,鈥� Smith said, as reported by Pink今日吃瓜.
However, the Guardian later reported that by Friday 5th May, Republic had received letters from Home Office that were 鈥渨arning them about new powers handed to police to deal with public demonstrations.鈥�
“The Police Cannot Be Trusted.”
Tatchell has said that the arrests were proof that 鈥渢he police cannot be trusted.鈥�
鈥淭he police broke their promise that peaceful anti-monarchy protests would be permitted,鈥� Tatchell said, as reported by Pink今日吃瓜.
鈥淭hey arrested the head of Republic and other protesters, confiscated Republic鈥檚 official placards, photographed everyone and erected huge barriers in front of the Republic protest so the King would not see us.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 an outrageous abuse of police powers and an attack on freedom of expression.”
MPs Slam Met Police
Labor MPs for Nottingham East and Norwich South, Nadia Whittome and Clive Lewis condemned the arrests on social media.
鈥淧eople must have the right to oppose having an unelected head of state, or more than 拢100m of public funds being spent on a coronation when millions rely on food banks. These arrests should concern us all,鈥� Whittome wrote.
Our gilded veneer of a democracy, on show for all the world to see.
鈥� Clive Lewis MP (@labourlewis)
鈥淥ur gilded veneer of a democracy, on show for all the world to see,鈥� Lewis wrote.
Protesters were warned that action would be taken on Coronation day but they protested anyway. So sick of all the WOKE protests wish they would all go away and let us enjoy what we can in these hard times.