Victory For Free Press As Police Drop Charges Against Coronation Protest Journalist

The Metropolitan Police has dropped charges against documentary filmmaker, Rich Felgate after he was arrested while reporting on a protest on the day of King Charles III’s Coronation in London in May this year.

Following a backlash against the arrest of several journalists covering various protests, the Government has introduced legislation to prevent police from arresting journalists under the Public Order Act 2023.

Francesca Cociani, Associate at Hodge Jones & Allen, representing Mr Felgate, said: “We are delighted that the police have finally seen sense, but how has it possibly taken so long? This was a botched police arrest from the start and symptomatic of the way that the Met deals with protests at the minute. When preventing peaceful protest isn’t enough, arrest the journalists covering the protests. There should be accountability and answers about this unlawful arrest. The Public Order Act 2023 created provisions preventing police from exercising their powers against people observing or reporting protests because apparently common sense isn’t enough.”