Police Admit Unlawful Arrest of Anti-Monarchy Protester at King’s Proclamation

Thames Valley Police settled with Symon Hill, compensating him £2,500 for his wrongful arrest during a 2022 public ceremony for King Charles III.

Symon Hill, a trainee Baptist minister, was arrested in September 2022 after shouting 'Who elected him?' during a proclamation ceremony for King Charles III in Oxford.
Thames Valley Police acknowledged the arrest was unlawful and agreed to pay Hill £2,500 in compensation following a legal challenge supported by the human rights group Liberty.
Hill was initially charged under the Public Order Act, but the charges were dropped in January 2023 due to insufficient evidence.
The incident has raised concerns about the impact of broad anti-protest laws on freedom of expression and the right to dissent in public spaces.
Police pledged to use the case as a learning opportunity to improve their handling of public order and safety operations in the future.