First arrests under the New Police Act preventing freedom of speech

those arrested want to be arrested! that is their aim. what's the problem?

Who? Drank from the finger bowl?

Don't be sorry, I like my info to be corrected

caleo yes I agree about everyone coming out in support of free speech.

people glueing themselves to the roads for instance are NOT being violent or aggressive

- remember the suffragettes?

They weren’t arrested under the new act. The police could have arrested those pulling down Colston’s statue, they could have arrested BLM marches before the act but didn’t, so I think you have to look at the motives of the police. They have an allegiance to the monarch so may have found it disrespectful, they may have feared for the protestors safety and anticipated a breach of the peace. Whatever they decided to “arrest” these protestors and did so. They didn’t need the new act. If the reasons for arrest don’t hold up the person gets released. It just removes them from the scene. The police with Colston’s statue and the anti monarchy protestors sided with the majority. Now there’s an interesting thought.

caleo it was Queen Victoria who held a banquet for the King of Afghanistan. Don't know if it was the king who did this or an important dignitary but when the finger bowls were brought he drank his as hadn't seen one before. Queen Victoria then shut everyone up by drinking hers and put her guest at ease.

Don't know if it's true but that's the story.

Oh! Suddenly wonder if I'm wrong then volver? Had always thought it was Queen Victoria and the King of Afghanistan.

25Avalon the police have cited the new act and then retracted it.

Frankly I don’t think that they know what they are doing, which is a dangerous position to be in both for themselves - making the police look both stupid and ignorant - and for the wider public who can’t rely on the law to act in a fair manner.

Katie59

I’m pretty sure they would need police protection if that was attempted, they would be warned and if they persisted they would be arrested for “behavior likely to cause a breach of the peace”. In exactly the same way as Insulate Britain and Football hooligans get arrested.
Demonstrations and protests get denied and limited all the time

I agree with Katie59, and think the ‘arrest’ would have most likely been for ‘behaviour likely to cause a breach of the peace. The ‘peace’ would most definitely have been disrupted had others in the crowd decided to silence the protesters. I suppose the polis were just trying to avoid escalation.

WWM2 apparently the Met has reminded its officers that people do have the right of protest. It’s going to be interesting.

We can debate whether it was the 'right' time or not but I've been talking about this removal of our freedom of speech and right to protest for a while now... and here it is in action!

This law was slipped through by the tories. It's fascism, silencing any voice that doesn't mirror the majority or authorities view.

I've always been proud to say to people from other nations that I, as a British citizen, have the right to stand on any street and have the freedom to protest, should I choose. This is no longer the case!!

This fundamental democratic right, that was part of our 'greatnss' has been removed from me.... and you. How long before we will be required to state our options in closed rooms and in hushed tones?

It's a very serious issue!

Listen to the MP Mhairi Black's speak on Fascism in Britain.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVZ3QwA5wy8

The denial and burying of heads in the sand by people with a throwback Rule Britannia mindset is quite astonishing! Perhaps the truth of what is actually happening is just too frightening for most to face.

More deeply depressing evidence of the sort of UK we are turning into.
I cannot understand how we, previously praised for our liberty and freedoms, have, little by little been conspiring to erode our own rights.

Yes, I feel sorry for the police having to enforce these (largely) new / opaque laws but why are we allowing these politicians into positions of power?
WHY are we electing them?

whitewavemark is right. Leaving the ECHR (as Russia did) is ridiculous and dangerous and shows where the government's mindset is.

The whole thing is desperate.

I’m all for freedom of speech but there is a time and a place and someone’s funeral is definitely not. How would they feel if it was there family member and someone did it at yours. I definitely don’t think it would go down well if someone tried it.over next few days because ppl in the country are grieving. But these ppl are me me ppl only thinking of themselves and not of others.

Re the man in Oxford: uk.style.yahoo.com/news/man-arrested-heckling-prince-andrew-162742005.html

We must uphold freedom of speech! I might not agree with someone’s opinion but I firmly believe that they have the right to it. There are sufficient laws to manage slander, libel etc but a vague ‘ breach of the peace’ is not acceptable.

If there was a protest going on on a public street during my loved ones funeral I would be immensely relieved that we live in a country where that is possible.

Slippery slope! How long before Trafalgar Square becomes Tiananmen Square?

We need to speak out! You might find this rather extreme but it is no small matter.

Let's not forget how easily things can change in an apparently civilised society.

"First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist.
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.
—Martin Niemöller. Pastor in Nazi Germany.

Protest and protestors must be protected. These arrests and charges are outrageous and likely caused by overzealous policing. I hope the charges will be dropped under the weight of public opinion. The DPP needs to take a strong view on this and so should Starmer.

I wouldn't be happy at all if it happened at one of my a family members funerals. There's a time and place to express your views and I think its very disrespectful.

When you protest about something you have to take into account the people that don’t agree with you and might be upset by the way that you protest. Best not to alienate people who, if you choose your moment right, might come round to your way of thinking. I’m surprised, I must admit though, that various political friends I have on Facebook just assume that I’m happy to read disparaging comments about the Queen just because I agree with them in other ways. I actually had to pluck up my courage to tell them that I had shed tears over the past week. I did decide a while back to try to be more tolerant of other peoples views and make an effort to understand why they feel the way that they do.

When my dear Dad died his cortège passed the girls grammar school I had attended. He was SO proud cos he had to leave school at 14.
As we passed the school, by then a mixed comprehensive, some boys jeered and da-de-dahed the funeral March. Very upsetting. I wrote to the school and the boys all wrote back expressing sorrow.
I understand the upset I do but we must uphold our right to free speech.
I feel the TV and newspapers especially the DM are filtering items eg Charles’ petulant performance over an ink stand/pen.

Tanjamaltija

Re the man in Oxford: uk.style.yahoo.com/news/man-arrested-heckling-prince-andrew-162742005.html

I know I'm a bit easy to offend when it comes to Scotland but when did Edinburgh move to Oxfordshire?

I believe in free speech, and I’ve no time for Prince Andrew, but I don’t think that it’s appropriate to protest during a time of mourning. His mother has just died! ? I don’t think any of us would like our family funerals to be interrupted.
Protests could wait until after next Monday. Andrew probably won’t be seen in public again after that. I can’t imagine what his daughters think of him.

you can't section someone for their own safety if they choose to put their life at risk but if you are mentally ill and that is affecting your view of the world then you can be detained under the mental health act, police can take someone to somewhere designated as a safe space (ideally not a police station, some health authorities have places) where the person can be seen by specialist drs and a social worker. The social worker is there to protect people's civil rights, maybe by suggesting the person goes home with home care or similar, if appropriate

A lot of things worry me about this gov't and this is one of them. I wouldn't protest where so many people are mourning, but I don't think it justifies arresting someone