Scotland Yard will today be accused of misusing powers to prevent
disruption to last year's royal wedding in a court case that could have
major implications for police operations in the run-up to the Olympic
Games.
A group of 20 anti-monarchist protesters, campaigners and
environmentalists will claim at the High Court that police made a
political decision to clear "undesirable" groups from London's streets
while the world watched Prince William marry Kate Middleton.
More
than 50 people were arrested on 29 April last year – some under powers
introduced initially to combat football hooliganism – and more than 20
others were held during raids on squats on the eve of the ceremony.
Those
taking legal action today include members of the "Charing Cross 10", a
group arrested near the station as they prepared to join a day of
anti-monarchist protest. Protester Daniel Randall, 25, said they were
held for more than five hours at a police station on suspicion of a
possible breach of the peace. The group was not released until the
wedding ceremony had ended.
Mr Randall claimed that there was a
policy to arrest anyone who might criticise the monarchy. "Police should
not be allowed to act politically... to stifle the raising of voices
which dissent from the official politics," he said.
Protesters
dressed as zombies were arrested as they planned to stage some
mock-executions of the Royal Family.
Two environmentalists lived
in a camp near Heathrow airport which was raided on the eve of the
wedding. They had no plans to travel to central London for the wedding,
documents show. No-one was arrested but police obtained their search
warrants for the Sipson camp based on claims that "left-wing extremists"
were based there who might want to disrupt the wedding.
One
environmentalist taking part in the action, Theodora Middleton, accused
the police of harassment based on "crude political profiling".
"In
this case it appears the police were determined to restrict or remove
the sight of protest from central London during the royal wedding," said
solicitor Sophie Priestley, who is acting for camp members. "The real
strength of our heritage and tradition lies not in the spectacle and
pageantry of events ... but rather in the rich history of our hard-won
democratic freedoms which we should be showcasing to the world rather
than threatening to suspend."
At the time of the protest, it was
said officers reserved the right to take action "where there is a real
perceived threat of public disorder taking place". The officer in charge
of the operation, Lynne Owens – now head of the Surrey force – said it
had been an "amazing success".
No decision in the judicial review
is expected before the Bank Holiday next weekend to mark the Queen's
Diamond Jubilee. Lawyers hope for a ruling before the Olympics. Police
plan a huge security operation during the Games, with 12,500 officers on
duty at peak periods.
A police spokesman told organisers of
planned protests to contact them but said there is no ban on dissent. He
declined to make any comment on the court case before the hearing,
which is due to last for four to five days.(1)
Rather pathetic. These monarchists and the police are so confident they resort to petty repression to suppress opposition? This is where our taxes go, to help fund police that suppress political dissent.
Note:
(1) http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/police-misused-powers-during-royal-wedding-protesters-claim-7792774.html
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