Mystery surrounds the last-minute cancellation of a coach that was due to take protesters to this weekend’s pro-Palestine march in London.
Police involvement in the event has been a subject of speculation after officials asked organisers to cancel Armistice weekend protests on Monday.
But Sir Mark Rowley, the Met commissioner, has since rowed back on any police involvement in the demonstrations, saying there is “no absolute power to ban protest” in a statement that has enraged the prime minister.
In Lincolnshire, speculation has been mounting over the last-minute cancellation of transport to the event, with allegations of police involvement in the matter even being sounded.
A bus company based in Sleaford cancelled the hire of a fully-booked and paid-for 53-seat coach intended to take members of Lincoln Friends of Palestine to the march.
Gavin Graham of the Lincoln-based group told The London Economic that the Sleafordian Coach Company had told him that Lincolnshire Police had instructed the company that the booking was “too risky”, although the official had refused to specify what the risk was.
Asked for the company’s side of the story by The London Economic, a person named Danny, who refused to give his surname, said in an interview the order was cancelled because “we’ve had some coaches damaged in the past.”
He refused to confirm or deny today whether or not Lincolnshire Police had even contacted the coach company, though he added that he had heard of Met Police reports suggesting the march would be “dangerous.”
Lincolnshire Police said: “We haven’t contacted the travel company (Sleafordian Coach) regarding transport arrangements. These reports are inaccurate.”
Asked if the Home Office had sent out a directive asking regional police forces to discourage the attendance at Saturday’s march, a police media spokesperson said “it was not something I am aware of.”
Lincoln Friends of Palestine has been able to hire another coach from another company and still plan to attend the march.
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