Scotland Yard to pay 'five

Release time：2024-05-21 19:36:42 Source：Earthly Echo news portal

Scotland Yard is set to pay a large sum of money to a French publisher arrested by counter-terror officers at London St Pancras station after he took part in anti-Macron protests. 

Ernest Moret, who works at Editions La Fabrique, was stopped by borders officers as he arrived at the station in north London, and was examined using powers under Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act 2000 on April 17, 2023.

A review later concluded counter-terrorism officers should not have examined Mr Moret.

The force has now confirmed a legal settlement on the civil claim has been reached, but said details of the settlement remain private.

Jonathan Hall KC, the UK's independent reviewer of terrorism legislation, said in his report that it is 'difficult not to sympathise' with some of what Mr Moret said during examination when he described the decision to detain him and to seize and download his devices as 'crazy' and 'not normal' in a democracy.

Scotland Yard is set to pay a large sum of money to a French publisher arrested by counter-terror officers at London St Pancras station

The review made clear that the decision to examine Mr Moret was taken by Counter Terrorism Border Policing Officers from the Metropolitan Police. Additionally, it was was a 'pre-planned examination' based on information 'which the police did not evaluate as they ought to have done' - namely that Mr Moret may be associated with 'violent extremism or terrorism overseas'.

Officers said Mr Moret had participated in demonstrations in France over President Emmanuel Macron raising the retirement age from 62 to 64, according to a joint statement from Verso Books.

He was subsequently arrested on suspicion of wilfully obstructing a Schedule 7 examination, contrary to paragraph 18 of the Schedule, by refusing to disclose the Pins to his iPhone and laptop.

Mr Moret said he felt 'violated' by the requirement to provide access to his devices, according to the review. He was bailed, and later released under investigation.

Officers concluded they did not think that Mr Moret was a threat to national security or that he would employ violence for a political agenda, the review found.

Mr Moret was informed in June last year that no further action would be taken against him after the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) advised that the evidential test for prosecution had not been met.

The review recommended that the Code is changed to specify that Schedule 7 should not be used for the purpose of public order policing and that officers should be trained to that effect.

The force has now confirmed a legal settlement on the civil claim has been reached, but said details of the settlement remain private (Stock photo) 

A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police said: 'We can confirm that the Met has reached a legal settlement on a civil claim by a man who was stopped under Schedule 7 powers at St Pancras International on April 17 2023 and subsequently arrested.

'The details of the settlement remain private, and we will not be commenting on it further.

'We fully co-operated with a review into the circumstances of this case, which was carried out by Jonathan Hall KC, and following the publication of his report, we also voluntarily referred the matter to the Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC). The IOPC subsequently directed the Met Police to carry out a local investigation and that remains ongoing at this time.

'Schedule 7 is an important power in protecting the borders of the UK and it remains a vital tool in our efforts to counter the terrorist threat and keep the public safe.

'The public rightly expects that the use of such powers is always carefully considered, and that there is constant vigilance and attention to safeguards to ensure it is not used in a way that is contrary to individual rights and the wider public interest. We remain fully committed to ensuring that we use these powers proportionately and responsibly.'

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