The people they arrested for giving out rape alarms were part of a charity who are in central london every weekend giving them out to women at night - they were arrested the night before, i.e. a very weird time for them to be out if their intention was to protest, and I've not heard anything about the police having any actual reason to believe these people intended to protest at all?
>The police found placards and “items which at the time they had reasonable grounds to believe could be used as lock-on devices,” according to the statement, and arrested six people “on suspicion of going equipped for locking on.”
>The protesters who were arrested said that the devices were in fact luggage straps to fasten banners. After the police investigation failed to prove that anyone had intended to use the straps to lock on, all six had their bail canceled and no further action would be taken against them, the police said.
> groups and individuals were planning to use and throw rape alarms in order to disrupt the coronation procession.
... which is less defensible. Personally I hope a balance is found between allowing protest and preventing egregious disruption.