Animal rights group sues police after members were 'wrongly arrested' hours before King Charles's coronation 'because they were in the same building as Just Stop Oil'

Animal rights campaigners have sued the police after claiming they were wrongly arrested for attending a 'non-violent workshop' in the same building as Just Stop Oil.The group of nine women say they were detained just hours before King Charles's coronation in May 2023 by around '15 to 20 mainly male officers'.Course trainer Louisa Hillwood, who had been leading the workshop for Animal Rising, said it was 'ironically' about 'how to interact positively with the police'.Officers suggested the group were part of Just Stop Oil, who used the same building, and were planning to protest at the coronation, the group claimed.Represented at the High Court by law firm Hodge Jones & Allen, the group of students, medical professionals and teachers said they were subject to full body searches and detained for as long as 14 hours after being arrested for conspiracy to cause a public nuisance.The Met Police has denied any wrongdoing and is defending the claim.A total of 52 arrests were made on the day of the Coronation for affray, public order offences, breach of the peace and conspiracy to cause a public nuisance.Police said they received information protesters were 'determined to disrupt' the Coronation procession - including defacing public monuments with paint, breaching barriers and disrupting official movements. Animal rights activists from Animal Rising are pictured at a designated protest site outside Epsom Downs racecourse on June 3, 2023 nimal rights activists protest outside Aintree Racecourse ahead of the Randox 2023 Grand NationalProtesters from the anti-monarchy group Republic, including its chief executive Graham Smith, were apprehended during the day - as well as demonstrators from Just Stop Oil and Animal Rising.Ms Hillwood claimed: 'They searched all of our belongings and led us outside, handcuffed.'It was humiliating to be escorted like that into the back of a police van, where we spent many hours outside a station before we were taken in for questioning.'Most of the women had not interacted with the police in this way before, let alone been arrested, so I felt a heavy responsibility to try to reassure everyone and help them understand their rights.'Ms Hillwood has launched a CrowdJustice page to raise funds for the legal challenge, which is over the Met Police's assertion they had intelligence suggesting they were part of Just Stop Oil.Lawyers for the group said there was 'no intelligence linking the women or Animal Rising to Just Stop Oil'.Ms Hillwood, a medical communications specialist who wished to remain anonymous, said: 'I had never been arrested before.'It sounds naive now, but I always assumed the police were there to help and keep us safe.At around 12pm two campaigners stuck Wallace and Gromit posters attacking the RSPCA over the face of His Majesty in June 2024'Being released at night, alone as a woman, without a phone and having to find your way home to the other side of London is not right.'Luckily, I had a partner who helped me, but I feel the police failed us.'The group also said each of them remained under investigation until the end of August 2023, when they were handed back their phones and told there was insufficient evidence for further action.Susie Labinjoh, head of civil liberties at Hodge Jones & Allen, said: 'The vast majority of these women suffered a host of issues following the unlawful arrest, including panic attacks, depression, anxiety and paranoia.'Surprisingly, the Metropolitan Police have denied any wrongdoing, so legal action is the only recourse to justice for these innocent women.'The Met Police has been contacted for comment.In June 2024, Animal Rising activists vandalised King Charles's first official portrait as it hung in the Philip Mould gallery in London.The stunt saw two protesters plaster a Wallace and Gromit face over the monarch's alongside a speech bubble that read: ''No Cheese, Gromit. Look At All This Cruelty On RSPCA Farms!' The Met said it received information that protesters were 'determined to disrupt' the Coronation procession - including defacing public monuments with paint, breaching barriers and disrupting official movements. One protester from the day is pictured here Republican protesters hold up placards saying 'Not My King' and showing their support of Meghan who they claim is the 'Princess of our Hearts' on the day of the CoronationHowever, police said the activists would not be arrested because the gallery 'did not want to report a crime'.Later that year, charges were dropped against six women who stormed the racetrack in Derby in an animal rights protest witnessed by thousands of spectators.The charges against them of causing a public nuisance at the track in Epsom, Surrey, were dropped.The protesters broke onto the track before 4.30pm on June 4, 2022, minutes before the race was due to start.Police dragged the group, then known as Animal Rebellion, off the grass as spectators including those in the Royal Box looked on.In January last year, shoppers took out their frustration on the animal rights activists blocking their way in a supermarket - by trying to barge through with their trolleys.Customers were praised online for their defiant response to Animal Rising campaigners staging a sit-in protest in the meat aisle of a busy Sainsbury's store.Calls of 'Who do you think you are?' and 'You move - well, I'll just knock you out of the way' are heard in TikTok videos of the confrontation which were shared online.The group wanted to draw attention to complaints it has made about the RSPCA Assured farm scheme which approves meat products sold by supermarket chains.BBC Springwatch presenter Chris Packham quit as RSPCA president the previous month after concerns about alleged 'animal cruelty' were raised.Yet there was some praise for the shoppers seen attempting to make their way through the sit-ins - while police were called but decided not to take further action.