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‘I was arrested for protecting a pub from the far-right’ [1]
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Date: 2023-09
In a statement on its website, the pub reassures people that the event is age-appropriate, family-friendly and no different from what families would experience in a theatre. “This event is an opportunity for families and friends to come together and listen to a reading of a storybook and have fun,” they say. “The most important thing for us is that everyone is safe and happy when they are here.”
Dhillon arrived at the pub at 7.30am on 24 June, where he said local community members had already sustained concussions and bruising at the hands of the far-right group, with one woman bleeding profusely. The Lewisham community had come out in force at 5am, ready to defend the event taking place later that morning.
But he said the atmosphere quickly turned jubilant as the community took the road, blaring a sound system to drown out the slurs calling them groomers and paedophiles. The far-right protesters left before the storytelling session even started – which was, said Dhillon, a first.
“It was a lovely community atmosphere – a real celebration of queer joy,” they added.
So it was “alarming and unexpected” when the police marched up to the victorious community outside the pub.
Previous protests have finished at midday to coincide with the end of the storytelling event. “The police have always known this,” said Dhillon. “So it was a massive escalation to march towards us half an hour before the protest was due to end.”
Dhillon said he felt he had been targeted and racialised by the police. “There were multiple other white people in the road at the time of the arrest [who weren’t arrested]. It seems obvious to me that being brown and femme was a factor.”
Arrested during Pride month, Dhillon pointed out the double standards as the police were at pains to keep asking about their pronouns and gender identity (Dhillon uses both they/them and he/him). “They even asked if I would prefer to be searched by a female officer, so they could be inclusive while cuffing, searching, detaining and charging me.”
Dhillon ultimately received an “absolute discharge”, meaning no further action will be taken. He still, however, has a criminal record.
They described themself as “very lucky” to have the support of their local community, members of whom came to stand outside the court in his defence and helped raise money for his legal fees and other costs. “Someone without the connections, resources and support networks that I had could never have been in a position to contest this kind of prosecution,” they said.
Dhillon drew parallels with the people attacked by police at Clapham Common during a vigil for Sarah Everard, who was murdered by serving officer Wayne Couzens, in 2021. “What links the cases is that they both relied on the expansion of police discretionary powers,” he explained.
One of the Clapham Common victims, Patsy Stevenson, was last week awarded substantial damages and a formal apology following a lengthy legal battle with the Metropolitan Police. Stevenson was pinned down and dragged away by police at the Clapham Common vigil for Sarah Everard, who was kidnapped, raped and murdered by Couzens in March 2021.
At Clapham Common, police had been given additional powers through Covid legislation restricting public gatherings. At the Honor Oak Pub, it was the redefinition of “serious disruption”.
“Most of the violence that the police do is completely legal,” said Dhillon. “Police could not exist without wide-ranging discretionary powers.”
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[1] Url:
https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/5050/honor-oak-pub-forest-hill-drag-queen-story-hour-police-far-right-amardeep-singh-dhillon/
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