A CITY of London police officer said that anti-monarchy protesters could “possibly” be arrested for chanting “Not my King”.
The Metropolitan Police came under heavy criticism on Saturday after what campaign groups described as “incredibly alarming” detentions during republican protests.
Campaigners said the protests were “peaceful”, describing the arrests as “a dangerous precedent for us as a democratic nation”.
Imagine being a City of London police officer and not knowing what you are policing… pic.twitter.com/2J1GCQjoNU
— Michael Morgan (@mikecmorgan) May 6, 2023
A video posted to Twitter on Saturday also showed a City of London police officer who seemed to suggest that people could be arrested just for chanting ‘Not my King’.
When asked if people can chant “Not my King”, the officer said: “I wouldn’t advise it, no”.
He went on: “If it escalates, if the chanting gets louder and louder and it causes a public nuisance.”
Pressed again about what the officer meant by “escalates” and whether people would be arrested for chanting, the officer added: “Maybe, possibly.”
Human Rights Watch labelled the arrests on Saturday “incredibly alarming”, adding: “This is something you would expect to see in Moscow, not London.”
Amnesty International’s chief executive Sacha Deshmukh also raised concerns after police were reportedly given instructions to apprehend people with megaphones.
Commander Karen Findlay, who led the policing operation, said: “We absolutely understand public concern following the arrests we made this morning.
“Protest is lawful and it can be disruptive.
“We also have a duty to intervene when protest becomes criminal and may cause serious disruption.”
Commander Findlay added: “This depends on the context.
“The coronation is a once in a generation event and that is a key consideration in our assessment.
“A protest involving large numbers has gone ahead today with police knowledge and no intervention.”
