Policing anti-monarchy protestors properly 'not a hard job', insists barrister behind blank-placard experiment
A barrister who was told he risked being arrested if he wrote "not my King" on a placard has said assessing whether an act is "arrestable" is "not a hard job" for police.
Paul Powlesland, 36, a barrister and nature rights activist from Barking in east London, travelled into the centre of the capital on Monday afternoon with "a blank piece of paper".
"Why would you ask for my details?" he can be heard asking a police officer in a video, who said: "I wanted to make sure you didn't have bail conditions (inaudible)."
The officer replied: "You said you were going to write stuff on it, that may offend people, around the King. It may offend someone."Mr Powlesland said the officer told him he risked being arrested if he wrote "not my King" on the paper.
Sangita Myska asked Mr Powlesland whether he had any sympathy with the police who are trying to work out if somebody is "an actual threat to the peace of the people around them, or [if] this person [is] presenting a greater threat".
"Not really, I mean it's policing 101 really... It's not a hard job," Mr Powlesland replied.
"You were asking me about whether it was difficult to assess whether something should be arrestable or not. Someone holding up a valid lawful opinion - not my king - the obvious response is to leave them alone, because it's clearly not unlawful, and I don't think that's a hard job, no."
Mr Powlesland added: "Obviously the funeral and all that kind of stuff is perhaps, but the freedom of expression example - if someone is holding up a lawful sign with a lawful opinion on - just don't threaten them with arrest! It's not rocket science."
The Metropolitan Police issued a statement following the viral video from Parliament Square in central London where Mr Powlesland held up his blank piece of paper.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Stuart Cundy said: "We're aware of a video online showing an officer speaking with a member of the public outside the Palace of Westminster earlier today.
"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 do so.
"However, the overwhelming majority of interactions between officers and public at this time have been positive as people have come to the capital to mourn the loss of Her Late Majesty the Queen."