Protester incidents at Westminster prompt Met to deny ‘anti-King’ crackdown
Scotland Yard has issued a statement saying people “absolutely have a right to protest” about the monarchy after a man carrying a blank piece of paper was told he might offend.
Barrister Paul Powlesland, 36, said he went to Parliament Square in Westminster and held up a blank piece of paper before an officer asked him for his details.
Mr Powlesland said on Twitter: “He confirmed that if I wrote “Not My King” on it, he would arrest me under the Public Order Act because someone might be offended.”
Mr Powlesland captured the incident with a police officer on film and posted it on social media, having been viewed 1.2m times on Twitter.
Mr Powlesland is heard saying: “Why would you ask for my details?”
The officer replies: “So I can check and make sure you can be here. You’ve already said you’ve been arrested once.”
He replies: “No, I said other people have been arrested. I was holding up a blank sign. Why are you asking me for my details?”
The officer said: “Because you said you were going to write stuff on it that may offend people.”
Mr Powlesland says: “I said I was going to write ‘not my king’ on the sign.”
He said the officer then told him he risked being arrested if he had gone ahead and written ‘not my king’ on the paper.
Broadcaster Jeremy Vine was among those retweeting the post, adding: “Trying to get my head round this. Day 1 for the new @metpoliceuk Commissioner, and someone is threatened with arrest for holding a blank piece of paper they *might* write something offensive on?”
Earlier in the day, another protester bearing a handmade sign saying ‘not my king’ was ushered away from the Palace of Westminster by police.
It happened as King Charles was due to arrive to address MPs at Westminster Hall. Police spoke to the woman before escorting her away.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Stuart Cundy said the Met were aware of the video, and added: “The public absolutely have a right of protest and we have been making this clear to all officers involved in the extraordinary policing operation currently in place, and we will continue to do so.”
Silkie Carlo, director of Big Brother Watch, said: “If people are being arrested simply for holding protest placards then it is an affront to democracy and highly likely to be unlawful.”
Picture: The Palace of Westminster (Picture: Graeme Maclean https://commons.wikimedia.org)
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