Police accused of 'suppressing' anti-monarchist sentiment ahead of royal wedding

[marmar]

(Independent UK) Police adopted an “impermissibly low tolerance to public protest” ahead of last year’s royal wedding, lawyers representing anti-monarchist activists who were pre-emptively detained to stop them protesting it have told the High Court.

The accusation came on the first day of a judicial review hearing into the Metropolitan Police’s handling of public protests, which could have significant implications for how the Olympic Games are policed this summer.

A group of 20 activists, who were among scores searched and detained during or before the ceremony, have asked the court to rule that the Commissioner of Police operated an unlawful policy that violated the fundamental democratic right to protest.

Their lawyers accused the Met of effectively “suppressing anti-monarchist sentiment” yesterday. They hoped the case would be heard in time to influence policing at the forthcoming Jubilee celebrations but Lord Justice Richards, who is hearing the judicial review application in London with Mr Justice Openshaw, said that was unlikely, opening up the possibility of a similarly robust policing plan next week. ...............(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/police-accused-of-suppressing-antimonarchist-sentiment-ahead-of-royal-wedding-7793931.html