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| Met Police use of anti-terror laws to arrest French publisher condemned | Met Police use of anti-terror laws to arrest French publisher condemned |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Ernest Moret was detained by police at London St Pancras International railway station on Monday evening | Ernest Moret was detained by police at London St Pancras International railway station on Monday evening |
| Two publishers and the National Union of Journalists have condemned the police after anti-terror laws were used to arrest a French publisher as he arrived in London. | Two publishers and the National Union of Journalists have condemned the police after anti-terror laws were used to arrest a French publisher as he arrived in London. |
| Ernest Moret was searched under counter-terrorism legislation after travelling from Paris on Monday. | Ernest Moret was searched under counter-terrorism legislation after travelling from Paris on Monday. |
| His employer claimed he was stopped over his alleged involvement in French pension age protests. | His employer claimed he was stopped over his alleged involvement in French pension age protests. |
| The Metropolitan Police said a man had been arrested over obstruction. | The Metropolitan Police said a man had been arrested over obstruction. |
| On Tuesday evening, police confirmed that the arrested man had been released on bail. | On Tuesday evening, police confirmed that the arrested man had been released on bail. |
| Mr Moret, who works at Paris-based publisher Editions La Fabrique, was detained after travelling on the Eurostar to St Pancras railway station to attend London Book Fair. | |
| Officers said they were stopping him under Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act 2000 - this gives the police wide powers to search people at border crossings to check if they are involved in terrorism. | Officers said they were stopping him under Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act 2000 - this gives the police wide powers to search people at border crossings to check if they are involved in terrorism. |
| The police do not need any grounds to stop and search people at borders under these powers. | The police do not need any grounds to stop and search people at borders under these powers. |
| Editions La Fabrique and a collaborating London publisher, Verso Books, said Mr Moret refused to give officers the pass codes to his phone, and he was then taken to Islington police station in north London. | |
| The Met said in a statement: "At around 1930hrs on Monday, 17 April, a 28-year-old man was stopped by ports officers as he arrived at St Pancras station, using powers under Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act 2000." | The Met said in a statement: "At around 1930hrs on Monday, 17 April, a 28-year-old man was stopped by ports officers as he arrived at St Pancras station, using powers under Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act 2000." |
| "On Tuesday, 18 April, the man was subsequently arrested on suspicion of wilfully obstructing a Schedule 7 examination (contrary to section 18 of the Terrorism Act 2000). Enquiries continue." | "On Tuesday, 18 April, the man was subsequently arrested on suspicion of wilfully obstructing a Schedule 7 examination (contrary to section 18 of the Terrorism Act 2000). Enquiries continue." |
| Editions La Fabrique and Verso Books described the detention as an "outrageous and unjustifiable infringement" of freedom of expression and said it was an "abuse of anti-terrorism laws". | Editions La Fabrique and Verso Books described the detention as an "outrageous and unjustifiable infringement" of freedom of expression and said it was an "abuse of anti-terrorism laws". |
| They said officers told Mr Moret, who works as a foreign rights manager, he had taken part in demonstrations about President Emmanuel Macron raising the retirement age from 62 to 64 in France - the controversial pension changes were signed into law this week. | They said officers told Mr Moret, who works as a foreign rights manager, he had taken part in demonstrations about President Emmanuel Macron raising the retirement age from 62 to 64 in France - the controversial pension changes were signed into law this week. |
| In a joint statement Editions La Fabrique with Verso Books said: "The police officers claimed that Ernest had participated in demonstrations in France as a justification for this act - a quite remarkably inappropriate statement for a British police officer to make and which seems to clearly indicate complicity between French and British authorities on this matter. | In a joint statement Editions La Fabrique with Verso Books said: "The police officers claimed that Ernest had participated in demonstrations in France as a justification for this act - a quite remarkably inappropriate statement for a British police officer to make and which seems to clearly indicate complicity between French and British authorities on this matter. |
| "It was demanded that he give up his phone and pass codes to the officers, with no justification or explanation offered. This morning, Ernest was formally arrested and transferred to a police station, accused of obstruction because of his refusal to give up his pass codes." | "It was demanded that he give up his phone and pass codes to the officers, with no justification or explanation offered. This morning, Ernest was formally arrested and transferred to a police station, accused of obstruction because of his refusal to give up his pass codes." |
| Sebastian Budgen, senior editorial director at Verso Books and a friend of Mr Moret, told the BBC: "It's an extremely frightening kind of event when somebody who's just conducting their professional activity coming to a book fair in London can be treated in this kind way as if they're public enemy number one... | Sebastian Budgen, senior editorial director at Verso Books and a friend of Mr Moret, told the BBC: "It's an extremely frightening kind of event when somebody who's just conducting their professional activity coming to a book fair in London can be treated in this kind way as if they're public enemy number one... |
| "[Editions La Fabrique] is a left publisher... we've had months now of massive protests in France, and I think from their perspective anybody who is a dissident or aligned with a dissident publisher is potentially some kind of criminal. | "[Editions La Fabrique] is a left publisher... we've had months now of massive protests in France, and I think from their perspective anybody who is a dissident or aligned with a dissident publisher is potentially some kind of criminal. |
| "Ernest is a 28-year-old foreign rights manager. He doesn't have any particular power or influence. I think they just decided he's someone good to pick on to see if they can get any intelligence." | "Ernest is a 28-year-old foreign rights manager. He doesn't have any particular power or influence. I think they just decided he's someone good to pick on to see if they can get any intelligence." |
| Pamela Morton, senior books and magazine organiser at the National Union of Journalists, said it "seems extraordinary" that British police used terror legislation to arrest a publisher "who was on legitimate business here". | Pamela Morton, senior books and magazine organiser at the National Union of Journalists, said it "seems extraordinary" that British police used terror legislation to arrest a publisher "who was on legitimate business here". |
| An open letter signed by French publishers and authors in news magazine L'Obs called on British authorities to immediately release Mr Moret. | An open letter signed by French publishers and authors in news magazine L'Obs called on British authorities to immediately release Mr Moret. |
| "We also urge the French authorities to intervene to guarantee the protection of their nationals against such repressive measures," it added. | "We also urge the French authorities to intervene to guarantee the protection of their nationals against such repressive measures," it added. |
| The French Embassy in London has been approached for comment. | The French Embassy in London has been approached for comment. |
| Mr Moret had been due to attend the London Book Fair, an annual event attracting delegates from around the globe | Mr Moret had been due to attend the London Book Fair, an annual event attracting delegates from around the globe |
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