An animal rights group is suing the Metropolitan Police, alleging that nine of its members were wrongly arrested hours before King Charles's coronation in May 2023. The women, who were attending a non-violent workshop, claim they were detained for up to 14 hours on suspicion of conspiracy to cause a public nuisance.
According to the group, Animal Rising, the arrests occurred just before the coronation ceremony as they participated in a workshop focused on interacting with police. Law firm Hodge Jones & Allen, representing the women, stated that there was no intelligence linking them or Animal Rising to the environmental group Just Stop Oil, who were also known to be in the same building and were planning protests related to the coronation.
The Metropolitan Police is defending the claim, asserting that they received information that protesters were determined to disrupt the coronation procession. This information reportedly included plans to deface public monuments, breach barriers, and disrupt official movements.
During the arrests, the women allege they were subjected to full body searches. Course trainer Louisa Hillwood described the experience as humiliating, recounting being handcuffed and escorted to a police van, where they waited for many hours before being taken in for questioning. Hillwood, a medical communications specialist, noted that for most of the women, this was their first arrest, and she felt a responsibility to reassure them and explain their rights.
One of the women, who wished to remain anonymous, shared her distress at being released at night without her phone and having to find her way home. She expressed disappointment, stating that she had always assumed the police were there to help and keep people safe.
The group remained under investigation until the end of August 2023, when their phones were returned and they were informed there was insufficient evidence for further action. Susie Labinjoh, head of civil liberties at Hodge Jones & Allen, said the arrests led to panic attacks, depression, anxiety, and paranoia for the women, calling the police's denial of wrongdoing surprising and legal action the only recourse for justice.
A total of 52 arrests were made on the day of the Coronation for offenses including affray, public order offenses, breach of the peace, and conspiracy to cause a public nuisance. Among those apprehended were members of the anti-monarchy group Republic, including its chief executive Graham Smith, as well as demonstrators from Just Stop Oil and Animal Rising.
In other incidents involving Animal Rising, activists in June 2024 placed a Wallace and Gromit face over King Charles's first official portrait at the Philip Mould gallery in London, accompanied by a message criticizing RSPCA farms. However, police did not make arrests in that instance as the gallery did not wish to report a crime.
Earlier, charges were dropped against six women from Animal Rising who disrupted a horse race at Epsom in June 2022. The group, then known as Animal Rebellion, also staged a sit-in protest in a supermarket's meat aisle in January 2023, drawing frustration from shoppers and a police response that did not result in further action.