A woman was handcuffed and issued with a £100 fixed penalty notice in what an animal welfare group has called a "deeply troubling" incident in a Harrow park. The arrest, which involved eleven Metropolitan Police officers, occurred after the woman was feeding pigeons.
The Arrest and Conflicting Accounts
London Wildlife Protection stated that one of their volunteers was arrested on Wednesday, 7 January in Wealdstone Square, Harrow, simply for "feeding and caring for pigeons". The group shared a video showing the woman being led away by multiple officers, branding the police action "unjust and disgraceful".
However, the Metropolitan Police provided a different account. A spokesperson explained that officers were assisting Harrow Council enforcement officers with an anti-social behaviour incident on Wealdstone High Street at around 14:30hrs. The woman, aged in her 40s, was asked to provide her name and address so a fixed penalty notice could be issued.
Breach of Order and Refusal to Comply
According to the police, the woman repeatedly refused to give her details during a conversation lasting around 20 minutes. She was subsequently arrested on suspicion of breaching Section 50 of the Police Reform Act, which requires individuals to provide their name and address when lawfully requested by police.
Harrow Council confirmed the incident involved a breach of a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) that bans feeding birds in the area. A council spokesperson said: "The individual refused to provide their details, which is an offence, and also refused to stop feeding pigeons when asked to do so."
De-arrest and Aftermath
The Metropolitan Police stated that after the woman's details were later obtained, she was de-arrested and handed over to council officers to be dealt with. The fixed penalty notice of £100 was issued for the PSPO breach.
London Wildlife Protection condemned the scale of the police response, calling it "shocking" that eleven officers were involved. The group vowed to pursue formal complaints and further legal action, arguing their volunteer was treated unfairly for a peaceful act.
The incident highlights the tensions between local authority regulations to maintain public spaces and the actions of individuals and groups engaged in what they perceive as animal welfare.
