First arrests under the New Police Act preventing freedom of speech

Whitewavemark2

Baggs

I think the answer to the Oxford man's question, "Who elected him?" is that tradition did. I realise this is not a strong argument and that some people won't 'get it', but I think the reason we've kept the monarchy is that we've effectively blunted any power they might once have had and made them into figureheads.

There is a place for national figureheads, I think. Currently (I've been an anti-monarchist in the past), my preference is for a monarchy like ours for the national figurehead rather then a presidential figure. It has an appeal of stability among other things.

But presumably you would not deny him his freedom to express his opinion?

Correct, wwm2.

TWO people who were arrested during the Accession Proclamation for the new King in Edinburgh have been charged. Police Scotland said a 22-year-old female has been charged after she was arrested outside St Giles's Cathedral is due to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court at a later date.

As I understand it, she was holding a placard (a small one if the pics I saw were genuine) saying "Not my king". Hardly an arrestable offence but what I saw looked like a gentle moving on (presumably towards a police vehicle). She continued to hold up the placard and was not prevented from doing that by the police.

Being arrested for one's own protection probably doesn't hold water legally. Maybe she will be unarrested as well.

Baggs

I think the answer to the Oxford man's question, "Who elected him?" is that tradition did. I realise this is not a strong argument and that some people won't 'get it', but I think the reason we've kept the monarchy is that we've effectively blunted any power they might once have had and made them into figureheads.

There is a place for national figureheads, I think. Currently (I've been an anti-monarchist in the past), my preference is for a monarchy like ours for the national figurehead rather then a presidential figure. It has an appeal of stability among other things.

But presumably you would not deny him his freedom to express his opinion?

I think the answer to the Oxford man's question, "Who elected him?" is that tradition did. I realise this is not a strong argument and that some people won't 'get it', but I think the reason we've kept the monarchy is that we've effectively blunted any power they might once have had and made them into figureheads.

There is a place for national figureheads, I think. Currently (I've been an anti-monarchist in the past), my preference is for a monarchy like ours for the national figurehead rather then a presidential figure. It has an appeal of stability among other things.

From todays National.
TWO people who were arrested during the Accession Proclamation for the new King in Edinburgh have been charged. Police Scotland said a 22-year-old female has been charged after she was arrested outside St Giles's Cathedral is due to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court at a later date.
A 74-year-old man who was arrested in the vicinity of the Palace of Holyroodhouse in connection with a breach of the peace has also been charged and will appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Monday.
A force spokesperson said: “A 22-year-old woman was arrested outside St Giles’ Cathedral, Edinburgh, on Sunday, September 11, in connection with a breach of the peace.
“She was charged and was released on an undertaking to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court at a later date.”

I wrote to my MP, for all the good it might do.......

Certainly don't think anyone should be arrested, but to me, intruding on folk who are mourning is crass.
But the proclamation of a monarch is something to protest about!

The young woman in Scotland has been charged, according to the Channel 4 news Twitter account.

Appalling.

I, too, signed the petition against this law . Some people hold views which are abhorrent to me. Providing that they do not invoke violence, I will defend to the death their right to declare them.

Oopsadaisy1

I signed petitions against this law being brought in, many didn’t bother.

Don’t complain if you just sat and did nothing.

Many of us lobbied MPs but in areas such as mine it's totally pointless.

rosie1959

Was this the 'lady' carrying a sign saying F### imperialism abolish the monarchy
Probably arrested for her own safety such sentiments would not have gone down well in the crowds yesterday

Obscene language! You can be arrested for having a teeshirt carrying swearing! True! Under section 5 of public order act ."considered to be an offence against public order" or in lay terms upsets some people with rude insulting words or images. This has always been so, maybe they should have checked they're lawful limits before blundering out Into public with swearing plastered all over the placards?

It's not entirely clear if they were arrested specifically for just protesting or whether they committed a public order offence, which is usually a reason to stop disruption in any space. I'm sure brand-new King Charles will be displeased if it was for simply protesting as he's a firm believer in freedom of speech and free society I. What we all call our free country! Which it is so it's interesting as to what law has been broken?

I think it’s more a case of the Police not knowing who to arrest now. More education needed on their part.

I share the concerns about free speech and deplore the new law - but I can also see how the security services are walking a fine line at the moment - I would not want to be trying to organise the security for all that is going on nationally at the moment. They have to make "of the moment" speedy decisions; but clearly should not have told him to be quiet.

I've lost count of the number of people who have said ts like living in Bloody North Korea ,the enforced mourning...you can go to work but dont do anything that bringsyou pleasure or even charty events .Dont give your opinion on a hereditay head of state and listen to mournful music or flk who give you the dry boak with their over the top remarks about a woman they didn't know who more than likely didn't know they existed !
There were a lot of people booing at the Mercat Cross in Edinburgh ,I doubt they had enough police vans to take them all away...and why should they isn't EVERY opinion valid .Its 2022 not 1707 when we were rode roughshod over

It is all getting very worrying

Lord Butler on R4 talked about the corruption of our constitution by the replacing of loyal civil servants with political cronies
The Tories are destroying this country’s constitution.

Very worrying, freedom to protest is being eroded.

As Oopsadaisy said, there's no point complaining and doing nothing.

I am very very worried about the way the police have been acting on so called hate crimes, arresting elderly men in wheelchairs for anti woke speech. I think we need to examine why this gentleman in Oxford was arrested. It didn’t seem to be about free speech as such. I think even under the old laws he would have been arrested as the police find other laws to cover such events if they want to.

Totally missed this Whitewavemark2 but it doesn't sound good!

Please, some of you, think about what you are saying: now isn’t the time for free speech.

Now is always the time for free speech.

I signed petitions against this law being brought in, many didn’t bother

Don’t complain if you just sat and did nothing

I think that’s less than fair. I objected in several ways, and wished for more and louder support then, but there was so much to worry about then, it’s easy to understand how people missed it.

It’s good that people who weren’t aware now are, as weight of public opinion is key to getting bad laws get changed.

Everyone needs to think very carefully.

Coffey is anti-abortion. What if she decides to push for an anti-abortion law.

Would you say that you should not have the right to protest?

Braverman is intent on leaving the ECHR - set up in part by the U.K. - she also believes in bringing back the death penalty.

Would you say that you should not have the right to protest.

I am sure that everyone has a line that they would not want to cross and feel that they should have the right to protest.

What about taking our country to what we see as an illegal war?

This is about all and every protest, not just about the current circumstances, people can be removed for their own safety, but should not be arrested for what has in the past been our right to freedom of speech.
this is any protest,( we aren’t talking about violent protests, which have always been well policed.) stand anywhere with a placard and read a speech and you can be arrested.

Sadly, strength of feeling, on whatever topic, can end in violence if people are sufficiently stirred up. Katie59 is simply stating what she thinks might happen right now if anti monarchists demonstrate at a time when many are upset and emotional about the death of the Queen. Think about a football match - anyone want to stand in a crowd of the 'other' supporters and shout a few anti remarks? Unwise, given the strength of feeling - and I took her comments to mean people in general, not officials of an oppressive regime that might whisk you into a basement, never to be seen again.

I signed petitions against this law being brought in, many didn’t bother.

Don’t complain if you just sat and did nothing.

Franbern

Oh, I love the last line which states that 'he has since been de-arrested'!!!! What a total farce.

I am totally anti-monarchist, horrified at present at all the upset going on in the country for ten days over the death of a 96-year old. But each to their own, just do not go to official proclamations, etc. Do wish people would, maybe, show their respect of my views as I do of theirs. Would prefer to see money being spent on flowers left to die on pavements could be donated to food banks, where it could do so much more good.

I am however, very concerned that the government has eroded so much of what we have long taken for granted of our right to freedom of speech.

In what way are they disrespecting your views Franbern? No one is stopping you holding them or voicing them. If you want more than that then "Disrespecting" can only mean they don't agree with them. I find that perfectly reasonable.

Aren't you "disrespecting" the views and wishes of many, who wish to celebrate a life and mourn a death by placing flowers. We have done this for ever. How would any one person dictate that this is not what should be done? That would certainly worry me.

Generally, the flowers are not being left to die on pavements, although there will be some exceptions. They are to be composted. That is why people have been asked to unwrap them and not leave plastic (or Paddington bears or marmalade sandwiches).

If, and I agree, it seems as if the government has been given the power to prevent some previous freedoms, then we are responsible for allowing them that power. However, it sounds to me as if these narrow decisions, made by local police forces, might well have been made before the new laws were passed. Such decisions are always a bit of a knife edge situation.

Now is not the time for republicans to voice their opposition to the monarchy, the result activism quite likely to result in violence towards them.

Keep quiet or you'll get hurt, is that it?