Charlotte Lynch an LBC 'Journalist' was one of those arrested and LBC were exploiting their media status and were milking it yesterday. Protesting that as a journalist they had complete immunity.
Of course it was a one side report where she was horrified that she was placed in a cell that had a stainless steel toilet and she was photographed/ fingerprinted and DNA'd.
Thing is that's what a cell is. There are no 'Platinum' ones. And everyone that is arrested is subject to photograph fingers and DNA.
The Herts Police made a later statement stating that in hindsight there was no 'necessity' for their her arrest. Of course you immediately thing that they are apologising for a false arrest, and that was how it was spun. But that is not quite so. Its a bit complicated in that there are no "Arrestable" Offences any more. Sec 24 PACE 84 makes all offences arrestable subject to a "Necessity Test". In other words all other options for dealing should be considered, such as reporting for summons. Arrest should be a last resort. For example name and address cannot be ascertained, conducting a prompt and effective investigation and so on.
What I am saying is that the way they are phrasing it is that yes she may have committed an offences/s but maybe they could have progressed it differently.
And who else would get an inquiry after being arrested. Power of the media is dangerous.
5 (C) V is another one - To prevent the person in question causing an unlawful obstruction of the highway.
What we don't know is what were the circumstances? What exactly was she her behaviour? How far was her intrusion into the protest and was she in any way complicit or inciting?
At this point we only have her account. Police Body Cam footage may allow us to make a more informed decision as to the right or wrongs of what went on.
The other thing is that everyone with a camera now classifies themselves as a "Journalist" (think in terms of these Chav so called Auditors) where in reality they are just looking for Youtube hits. Their behaviour can be confrontational and antagonistic. Throw all that into the mix and the environment becomes somewhat hostile with blurred lines from a policing perspective.
Last edited by: Fullchat on Thu 10 Nov 22 at 15:28
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