Britain: Pre-Cime Arrests
May 2nd, 2011Via: Guardian:
Activists have condemned a series of “pre-crime” arrests carried out by the Metropolitan police on the eve of the royal wedding as disturbing, Orwellian and of doubtful legality.
Republican activists planning events almost a mile away from Westminster Abbey were held for up to 24 hours in police cells around the capital on Friday as tens of thousands turned out to watch the celebrations.
Those arrested include 30-year-old stunt film-maker Charlie Veitch, who is part of the group Love Police.
He was arrested at his home in Cambridge at 5pm on Thursday on the charge of “conspiracy to cause a public nuisance” and on suspicion of involvement in last month’s UK Uncut protest inside luxury retailer Fortnum and Mason.
Chris Knight, a 68-year-old retired anthropology professor, his partner, Camilla Power and 45-year-old friend Patrick Macroidan were arrested on the eve of the wedding near their home in Brockley, south-east London, on the same charge.
It is understood that Knight’s group, the Government of the Dead, was planning to behead an effigy of Prince Andrew with a theatrical guillotine in an act of street theatre on Soho Square in London. Plain clothes officers carried out “snatch and grab” arrests of activists on the square on Friday morning.
A total of 55 people were arrested on Friday, not all in relation to republican activity. Nearly two dozen people were arrested on Thursday before most protests had taken place.
