Graham Smith is arrested before the coronation. Photograph: Daniel Boffey/The Guardian
It is not just the arrest of Graham Smith, the chief executive of Republic, that stinks – the Daily Mail published stories ahead of the coronation that Republican protests could endanger life – scaring horses with rape alarms, etc. Apparently, this story was ‘leaked’ to the Daily Mail by the Metropolitan Police Force’s press office. The Head of the Metropolitan Police Force’s press office is Chris ‘G,’ who was News Editor for the Daily Mail. Who appointed him? Why, after the relationship between the Met and the News Of The World? It’s happening again. The rightwing press is running the Met. I can hear it now – right, all we have to do is arrest Graham Smith and some of his comrades, release him after the coronation, and then apologise; job done!
Surely if this new king believes in democracy, he should be furious about this? I don’t care if we have a monarchy, but I am very angry about protests against being stifled in this way. Republic had been talking to the police for months about peacefully protesting during the coronation – it seems there was a plan here – arrest some of Republic to appease Daily Mail readers and then apologise to appease the rest – that’s not what policing should be about. I hope this gets Republic more support.
#NotMyKing #Coronation
