A leading French publisher has been bailed after anti-terror laws were used to arrest him as he arrived in London.
Ernest Moret, a foreign rights manager with French publisher Editions La Fabrique, was stopped by officers at St Pancras on Monday.
He had been on his way to the London Book Fair at Kensington Olympia, which is scheduled to include an address by the Ukrainian president’s wife, Olena Zelenska.
According to a joint statement released by his publisher and left-wing book publisher, Verso Books, Mr Moret was stopped by police under counter-terror laws on Monday at St Pancras to “determine whether he was engaged in terrorist acts or in possession of material for use in terrorism”.
His employer claimed he was stopped over his alleged involvement in French pension age protests. They also alleged that he was then arrested after refusing to give up passcodes to his phone.
Officers said they were stopping him under Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act 2000. This gives the police wide powers to search people at border crossings to check if they are involved in terrorism.
The Met said in a statement: “At around 1930hrs on Monday, 17 April, a 28-year-old man was stopped by ports officers as he arrived at St Pancras station, using powers under Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act 2000.”
“On Tuesday, 18 April, the man was subsequently arrested on suspicion of wilfully obstructing a Schedule 7 examination (contrary to section 18 of the Terrorism Act 2000). Enquiries continue.”
A protest was called outside the French Institute in Queensberry Place, South Kensington at 7pm on Tuesday, over Mr Moret’s arrest.
A simultaneous demonstration has also been called outside the British Embassy in Paris.
In a joint statement Editions La Fabrique with Verso Books said: “The police officers claimed that Ernest had participated in demonstrations in France as a justification for this act - a quite remarkably inappropriate statement for a British police officer to make and which seems to clearly indicate complicity between French and British authorities on this matter.
“It was demanded that he give up his phone and pass codes to the officers, with no justification or explanation offered. This morning, Ernest was formally arrested and transferred to a police station, accused of obstruction because of his refusal to give up his pass codes.”
They called upon the French ambassador to Britain Helene Duchene to “request Ernest’s immediate release”.
PEN International, a freedom of expression campaigning group, said it was “deeply concerned by the detention of French publisher La Fabrique’s foreign rights manager, held since yesterday on counterterrorism grounds”.
The London Book Fair told the Standard: “As this is an ongoing police investigation, The London Book Fair cannot comment at this time.”
The French embassy in London did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The three-day major publishing festival at Kensington Olympia from Tuesday is set to welcome around 25,000 people from the industry and related fields.
