Public order arrests

Freedom of Information (FOI) Act request ref: 01/FOI/25/009056/T

Version Date: 26/11/2025

The Alliance Operations Department has provided the following information:

How were the decisions made by Devon and Cornwall Police both to arrest and not to arrest people holding placards saying "I OPPOSE GENOCIDE I SUPPORT PALESTINE ACTION" on 19th July and on 4th October 2025 in front of Truro Cathedral?

A Policing Strategic Strategy would have been commissioned in Devon & Cornwall Police, which then informs a Tactical Delivery Plan.  Operational Officers would then deploy, if required, and would take actions (including the potential for arrest) based on that Tactical Plan.

The policing of protest can be emotive, and police need to balance peaceful protest whilst upholding the law with fairness, integrity, diligence and impartiality.

Whilst there is benefit to consistency across forces on how they respond, each the local environment and the impact of each protest must be considered. This must be viewed with wider demand and operations that the Force is delivering at that time. This will mean that forces, on occasions adopt a different approach. There is national co-ordination of the policing response, but the method each force responds with is a decision taken at Force level.

At a Force level this is replicated. The policing of each protest should be unique, considering threat, harm, and risk.  

Each offence is recorded and subject to an investigation. However, Devon & Cornwall Police has adopted a position that the arrest at the time is a consideration but not necessary in all cases to progress a criminal investigation.

Prior to arrest the broad circumstances and environment of each protest and each protester will be considered as part of the assessment on the policing response.

On 19th July the people holding placards on the steps of Truro Cathedral were arrested. On 4th October, Devon and Cornwall Police instead sent two Police Liason Officers who protected the people holding placards from a heckler. This latter approach follows that of police in Derry as well as in Edinburgh on other occasions, but differs from that taken in e.g. London where people holding such placards have been arrested on all occasions.

Are there any records of these decision and how they were arrived at? Are there any records of meetings or discussions either internally or with other regional police as to whether or not to arrest such placard holders?

Yes, there will be records held of some decisions made and meetings held.