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 ‘Not My King.’ Tatchell has described the actions of the MP as “heavy-handed.”
“[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,” Tatchell later tweeted.
.@metpoliceuk 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 https://t.co/c5jh42wb2P
— Peter Tatchell (@PeterTatchell) May 6, 2023
Police arrest peaceful anti-monarchy protesters & have erected giant barriers to osbcure pro-republic banners. Right to freely protest suppressed. Shame! pic.twitter.com/oqTU1op0eX
— Peter Tatchell (@PeterTatchell) May 6, 2023
According to Smith, the police gave no indication that they would be against the group’s plans to protest.
“We have had two meetings with the Met police, and numerous phone conversations. They have repeatedly said they have no concerns about Republic’s plans,” Smith said, as reported by PinkNews.
However, the Guardian later reported that by Friday 5th May, Republic had received letters from Home Office that were “warning them about new powers handed to police to deal with public demonstrations.”
“The Police Cannot Be Trusted.”
Tatchell has said that the arrests were proof that “the police cannot be trusted.”
“The police broke their promise that peaceful anti-monarchy protests would be permitted,” Tatchell said, as reported by PinkNews.
“They arrested the head of Republic and other protesters, confiscated Republic’s official placards, photographed everyone and erected huge barriers in front of the Republic protest so the King would not see us.”
“It’s 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.
“People must have the right to oppose having an unelected head of state, or more than £100m of public funds being spent on a coronation when millions rely on food banks. These arrests should concern us all,” Whittome wrote.
Our gilded veneer of a democracy, on show for all the world to see. https://t.co/YsInJZt765
— Clive Lewis MP (@labourlewis) May 6, 2023
“Our gilded veneer of a democracy, on show for all the world to see,” 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.