Coronation protesters aren't unique because unlawful arrests happen all the time, Tory MP says
James Daly has clashed with Graham Smith, from the campaign group Republic, at a Home Affairs Select Committee session on the policing of public protest.
Coronation protesters are not unique in their experience of being arrested unlawfully, a Conservative MP has suggested, commenting that such detentions happen "all the time".
Speaking at a Home Affairs Select Committee one-off session on the policing of public protest, which was looking specifically at how the coronation was policed, James Daly clashed with Graham Smith, from the campaign group Republic, who was arrested that day.
Smith told the committee that his group had liaised with police in the run-up to the event, and suggested that the recently introduced Public Order Act had meant people could be "rounded up without evidence".
Read more: 'Draconian' new protest laws come into force
Daly, the MP for Bury North, responded that Smith was incorrect, telling him: "I was a criminal lawyer for 17 years, I've dealt with many, many cases of unlawful arrest.
"You're creating the impression that this is a unique situation – this is a situation that happens every single day throughout the country in every police force."
"Unlawful arrest?" one of Daly's colleagues interrupted.
"Absolutely," he replied.
Smith was one of 64 people arrested at the coronation, eight of whom were with the group Republic, and many of whom were arrested for reasons relating to protest activity, AP reported at the time.
Of the people who were arrested, just four were charged with an offence.
One volunteer who appeared before the committee told police she was arrested despite wearing hi-viz jackets that had a Met Police logo on them and working in conjunction with the authorities.
Read more: Volunteers arrested before coronation were wearing hi-viz with 'Met Police logo'
Smith said that despite sharing extensive plans with police including on banner size, they were targeted by officers as they unfurled banners and were told that the straps they were using to carry the banners could be used to "lock on" to things – something the new act specifically prohibits.
However, Smith argued that the straps were to help them carry heavy items and said they had explained to police that they would be put in the van after use and driven away. However, he and seven others were arrested at the scene.
"They detained us, they confiscated the placards and continued to disrupt and diminish the protest throughout the day," Smith told the committee, also saying that the group had managed to hold protests in other cities that were taken "in good humour".
His account was disputed by Daly, who told him: "We are turning this hearing into giving you a platform."
Watch: Home Affair Committee probes coronation arrests
