Five people were arrested and later released on bail without charges after taking part in an anti-ULEZ protest near the London mayor’s home.
The “Khanage @ Khan’s” protest began at noon on Saturday and was met with a substantial police presence shortly after. It is understood the event took place near, but not at Mr. Khan’s home.
Officers arrived at the scene and invoked a Section 42 order, a legal directive that allows authorities to direct protesters to disperse.
ULEZ
ULEZ cameras look for drivers of non-compliant vehicles who are then subsequently charged £12.50 a day to drive in any London borough. London Mayor Sadiq Khan has faced fierce opposition to the scheme.The zone was expanded last year to cover the whole of Greater London in what Mr. Khan claims is a measure to improve air quality. Transport for London (TfL) has installed almost 1,900 ULEZ cameras in the expanded area.
There have been many protests in London against Mr. Khan’s plans to roll out the ULEZ, including Parliament, Trafalgar Square, and 10 Downing Street.
Witnesses told NTD that they had never seen “it like this before” as “they’ve got as many police as protesters here.”
During the demonstration, police engaged with organiser Kingsley Hamilton, who reiterated the peaceful nature of the protest. He asked for time to pass the message on to everyone, which the policewoman agreed to.
“Disappointing that we’ve been told to move on. But it is what it is. I don’t want to get loads of people arrested. I don’t want to bring our group into disrepute,” he said, adding that they were taking the banners down.
After this, a smoke flare was set off across the road and away from the main body of protesters, with NTD reporters observing two or three people running away from the grey smoke. Police then put the smoke flare out with an extinguisher.
Mr. Hamilton said it was not one of them and believed it was a “counter-protest to stop them from what they were doing.”
Arrests
Five people were arrested, three in “quick succession,” NTD reported.One man called “Nick” said that after his release, police told him he was arrested for “blocking the road” as an emergency vehicle was trying to get by. He said he didn’t see one.
Another said he was arrested as he was filming “Nick.”
One lady was arrested on the floor changing out of her dinosaur costume. Another man, holding a placard.
One elderly man wearing purple, who has various health conditions, and could not walk very quickly, said he was arrested when trying to help the lady up off the floor.
After the arrests, a police line moved toward the remaining protesters to move back to finish packing up and get on a bus to leave.
The protesters then headed to Charing Cross Police Station for a second protest, demanding the five be released immediately.
At 8 p.m. on Saturday, all were released “on bail with no charges” after eight hours in custody.
‘Can Expect to Be Dealt With by Officers’
A Met Police spokesperson confirmed to The Epoch Times that five people were arrested on Saturday, April 6, by officers responding to a demonstration in Wandsworth.He said that one person was arrested for obstructing police and four under Section 42 of the Criminal Justice and Police Act.
“This relates to the presence of people at or near to residential premises where there are reasonable grounds to believe that this amounts to the harassment of residents,” he said.
“All four people were given directions by police at the scene to move away from this residential area. They did not comply and were consequently arrested,” he added.
The five people have been bailed pending further enquiries to a date in early July.
Commander Colin Wingrove, who oversaw policing across London this weekend, told The Epoch Times by email: “Protests outside or in the vicinity of people’s homes are not acceptable. Everyone should be able to go about their daily lives without feeling threatened or intimidated.
“There are plenty of appropriate places to protest in London. Anyone who chooses to target a private home or the area nearby can expect to be dealt with by officers.”
The Epoch Times contacted the Mayor of London for comment.
