'Fake steward' plot to disrupt Coronation smashed as activists planned paint ambush - as police defend crackdown
9 May 2023, 13:42 | Updated: 9 May 2023, 14:35
People dressed as Coronation stewards brought lock-on devices and white paint that they planned to use to criminally disrupt the event, the Met have said.
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Those people were arrested for going equipped to commit criminal damage, Met chief Sir Mark Rowley said.
Some 64 people were arrested in total on the day of Charles' Coronation on Saturday, with 52 linked to suspected event disruption.
The Met commissioner said: "I can report that we found people in possession of possible lock-on devices and people that appeared to be purporting to be stewards of the event in possession of plastic bottles containing white paint which we believe were specifically to be used to criminally disrupt the procession and resulted in arrests for going equipped to commit criminal damage".
Praising his officers for their efforts at the Coronation, Sir Mark added: "I want to be absolutely clear - our activity was targeted at those we believed were intent on causing serious disruption and criminality. Serious and reliable intelligence told us that the risks were very real."
He said: "Protest is an important right in any democracy, but it is limited and has to be carefully balanced alongside consideration for the rights of others so they too can go about their normal business – in this case participating in a once in a generation event.
"Parliament has created laws requiring police to act to bring this careful balance.By Friday evening, only twelve hours from the Coronation, we had become extremely concerned by a rapidly developing intelligence picture suggesting the Coronation could suffer. This included people intent on using rape alarms and loud hailers as part of their protest which would have caused distress to military horses.
"We also had intelligence that people intended to extensively vandalise monuments, throw paint at the procession, and incur on to the route.
"Adding to our concerns, military colleagues shared their worries about how some of this disruption would significantly unsettle their 160 strong mounted regiments, with the potential of causing multiple serious injuries and compromising public safety."
Sir Mark said that the threat was so concerning that both Home Secretary Suella Braverman and London mayor Sadiq Khan were given late night briefings on the situation on Friday..
It comes after the Met said earlier on Tuesday that they "regret" the arrests of six anti-monarchy protestors at the Coronation.
The Met said a review concluded there was no proof the group of activists were planning to "lock on" - a now regular tactic employed by protestors which has been banned under the law.
Prior to the Coronation, republican protesters and a Just Stop Oil activist were seen being arrested by Metropolitan Police officers, with signs saying 'Not My King' being collected by the force.
Journalist slams Met for 'gross overreaction' at Coronation
The Met said: "It was not clear at the time that at least one of the group stopped had been engaging with police Protest Liaison Team officers ahead of the event.
"The Protest Liaison Team were not the arresting officers nor were they present in St Martin’s Lane at the time of the arrest."
Anti-monarchy group Republic saw members including head Graham Smith detained by police close to Trafalgar Square.
Just Stop Oil activist Ben Larsen said he was on The Mall to peacefully protest when police began detaining those suspected of causing disruption - many, it's been revealed, using new police anti-protest powers.
He was seen telling Metropolitan Police officers: “You’ve searched me and haven’t found s***.”
A police officer replied: “You need to educate yourself on what peaceful protest is.”
Caller happy with Met action at Coronation: 'I don't want to see these communists with their flags!'
Campaign group Human Rights Watch said the arrests were “incredibly alarming”.It added: “This is something you would expect to see in Moscow not London.”
Mr Khan praised the Met for their efforts at the Coronation, but called for a review into the arrests made.
He told Sir Mark in a letter seen by LBC that "it is clear that some of the arrests made have given rise to concerns and, in my oversight role as Mayor, I am seeking assurance from you that the issues related to these will be subject to a review and lessons learned".
