Ernest Moret: Arrested French publisher faces no further action

A French publisher who was arrested using anti-terror laws as he arrived in London will face no further action, the Metropolitan Police has said.

Ernest Moret, 28, was searched under counter-terrorism legislation after travelling from Paris in April, bailed and later released under investigation.

His employer claimed he was stopped over his alleged involvement in French pension age protests.

Scotland Yard said it "will continue to be as open as possible about our work".

Cmdr Dominic Murphy, who leads the Met's Counter Terrorism Command, said Mr Moret had been informed via his solicitors.

He said: "We are aware that this police interaction generated a lot of commentary about our use of Schedule 7 powers, and whether it was necessary and proportionate in this case.

"The public would rightly expect that the use of Counter Terrorism powers is always carefully considered, and we have reflected on this particular interaction so we can identify any learning.

"Schedule 7 is a valuable power in protecting the borders of the UK and remains an important tool in our efforts to counter the terrorist threat and keep the public safe."

Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act 2000 gives the police wide powers to search people at border crossings to check if they are involved in terrorism.

The police do not need any grounds to stop and search people at borders under these powers.

Mr Moret, who works at Paris-based publisher Editions La Fabrique, was detained after travelling on the Eurostar to St Pancras railway station to attend London Book Fair.

Editions La Fabrique and Verso Books had described the detention as an "outrageous and unjustifiable infringement" of freedom of expression and said it was an "abuse of anti-terrorism laws".

They said officers told Mr Moret, who works as a foreign rights manager, he had taken part in demonstrations about President Emmanuel Macron raising the retirement age from 62 to 64 in France. The controversial pension changes were signed into law this week.

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