By David Young-
The Metropolitan Police has said that a majority of the arrets at the King’s Coronation was to prevent a breach of the peace and ensure the enjoyment of those who assembled to enjoy the coronation of King Charles III.
A total of 64 arrests were made on Saturday, May 6) as part of the policing operation in central London for the Coronation.
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The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) said 52 of these related to concerns people were going to disrupt the event, and arrests included to prevent a breach of the peace and conspiracy to cause a public nuisance.
As part of the wider policing operation, the force said eight arrests were made for other offences, including possession of an offensive weapon, drugs offences, and breaching a sexual harm prevention order.
The MPS had said that its tolerance for any disruption, whether through protest or otherwise, would be “low” and that it would “deal robustly with anyone intent on undermining the celebration”.
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Ahead of the Coronation, the force said a “significant police operation” was launched after it received information protesters were determined to disrupt the Coronation procession.
“Our activity was targeted at those we believed were intent on taking this action,” said the MPS.
“It was not our intention to prevent protest and whilst the vast masses of the crowd were there to celebrate and witness a once in a generation event, it is very clear a number of protests took place across the footprint both before, during and after the event with no police intervention.
“Any suggestion all protest was prohibited is not correct.”
The force said investigations into the 64 arrests have progressed over the weekend and so far four charges have been brought. It added that other investigations, “which are more complex”, require more time to progress all associated inquiries.
On Monday evening (May 8), six people who had been arrested and bailed have been informed that they will face no further action.
The arrests related to a vehicle stop in Westminster at 6.40am on Saturday.
Officers working as part of the security operation in central London observed a group of people unloading items from a vehicle on St Martin’s Lane in Westminster close to the restricted zone near the Coronation procession route.
Taking into account the information that people were seeking to seriously disrupt the event, and the significance of the security operation, the MPS said officers had been briefed to be “extremely vigilant and proactive”.
In a statement, the MPS said: “They searched the vehicle and, as well as a large number of placards, found items which at the time they had reasonable grounds to believe could be used as lock on devices.
“Taking into account the information they had, and the overall concern regarding security, six people were arrested on suspicion of going equipped for locking on, contrary to Section 2 Public Order Act 2023. One man was also arrested for possession of a knife/pointed article.
“It was not clear at the time that at least one of the group stopped had been engaging with police Protest Liaison Team officers ahead of the event. The Protest Liaison Team were not the arresting officers nor were they present in St Martin’s Lane at the time of the arrest.
“The investigation team have now fully examined the items seized and reviewed the full circumstances of the arrest.
“Those arrested stated the items would be used to secure their placards, and the investigation has been unable to prove intent to use them to lock on and disrupt the event.
“This evening all six have had their bail cancelled and no further action will be taken. We regret that those six people arrested were unable to join the wider group of protesters in Trafalgar Square and elsewhere on the procession route.”
Operation Golden Orb was one of the largest security and public order measures the MPS has ever led. There were more than 29,000 police officer deployments in the lead-up to the Coronation Day continuing over rest of the bank holiday weekend.
Commander Karen Findlay, who led the operation, said: “This has been a magnificent team effort and everyone in the Met is hugely proud to have played our role.
“Our first priority has been to ensure that the tens of thousands who travelled into London today, and millions more around the world, were able to enjoy a safe, secure and dignified Coronation.
“Our heartfelt thanks goes to everyone. I know our colleagues take great satisfaction from the warm comments from the public they have met.”
Commander Findlay added: “We absolutely understand public concern following the arrests we made this morning.
“Protest is lawful and it can be disruptive. We have policed numerous protests without intervention in the build-up to the Coronation, and during it.
“Our duty is to do so in a proportionate manner in line with relevant legislation. We also have a duty to intervene when protest becomes criminal and may cause serious disruption.
“This depends on the context. The Coronation is a once in a generation event and that is a key consideration in our assessment.”
The Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW) said events that involve the monarchy carry “the potential for protests, terror attacks and riots, and are often of high risk to officers and members of the public”.
“Year after year, police officers have ensured milestone events such as this pass without any untoward incident, despite the increased possibility of criminal activity, with minimal effect on the public,” it added.
PFEW national chair Steve Hartshorn said: “The priority for our police officers was to enable the public to enjoy this momentous historic occasion safely. The mutual aid programme also saw thousands of police officers from across the country deployed in London to prevent any and every disruption.
“In one of the most significant and largest police operations of the country, officers worked round-the-clock to protect the King, members of the Royal Family and our government, and the public.
“The use of state-of-the-art facial recognition technology was one of the key features of Operation Golden Orb.
“It is an honour for our officers, who are proud to be Crown servants, to be at the heart of the celebrations serving the King on his special day, and we hope to have made His Majesty and the public proud.”
Police forces across the nation had been planning the operation for months working closely with partner agencies such as the British Transport Police and the National Crime Agency.
Over 10,000 officers were deployed from regions across the nation to keep the streets safe.
PFEW deputy national chair Tiff Lynch said: “Thousands of police officers across regions have been working additional hours to ensure people participate safely in the celebrations over the weekend. Amongst the 400,000 recipients of the Coronation Medal are police officers who have exhibited inspirational dedication and support for the King’s Coronation.
“The unity shown by police officers from across the country to represent as one force is exemplary. We are proud of the rank and file who never fail to stand up to protect the people and uphold the law.”
She said the operation was led by members of a “highly experienced command team with a proven record of safeguarding other recent significant events and possessing expertise in executing multi-layered security operations”.
Operation Golden Orb included officers lining the processional route, managing crowds and road closures, protecting high-profile individuals, and carrying out searches with specialist teams. Hundreds of thousands of people gathered in central London as the King’s Procession travelled from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey.
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