London police chief rejects complaints of heavy-handed response to coronation protesters

By DANICA KIRKA
Associated Press

LONDON (AP) — London’s top police officer has defended the department from complaints of a heavy-handed response to protesters during the coronation of King Charles III. Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mark Rowley says his officers intervened to prevent “serious disruption and criminality.” Rowley says the response was based on “rapidly developing intelligence” suggesting some protests could affect the safety and security of last Saturday’s events. He says this included indications that demonstrators planned to use high-volume sound devices that could have panicked horses and to block the parade by locking onto things along the route. The commissioner made the comments in a letter responding to questions from Mayor Sadiq Khan.