He said he was held despite being in close conversation with the Met 'for four months' about the group's plans.
"They also said they had intelligence, which is untrue," Mr Smith went on. "If they did have intelligence their intelligence officers are either lying or incompetent because there was never any discussion, thought, email, message, anything that suggested any intent to do anything disruptive."
Mr Smith also rejected suggestions his arrest along with other protesters was necessary to limit disruption to the Coronation, calling it "disgraceful". "That law means we no longer in this country have the right to protest, we only have the freedom to protest contingent on the permission of senior police officers and politicians, and it's my view that those senior police officers were under immense pressure from politicians."But Met Police Federation chairman Ken Marsh said officers "police without fear or favour," insisting the force had done "an incredible job" policing the Coronation.
Concerns were also raised over reports three volunteers with a Westminster-based women's safety programme had beenCaroline Russell, Green Party London Assembly member and chair of the Police, Crime Committee at the London Assembly, said it was "really worrying" that the arrests had happened.
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