One of the officers also noted that even elected representatives could be considered "suspects of harassment" if they continued to show support for the couple.
Andy Prophet, chief of Hertfordshire police, supported the authoritarian actions of his officers, claiming that "prior warnings" had been issued and that everything was done according to the law. However, he acknowledged that "in hindsight, we could have achieved the same objectives differently".
The end of freedom of expression
Meanwhile, Jake Hurfurt, director of investigations at Big Brother Watch, a civil rights organization, described the increase in arrests for offenses related to social media posts as "deeply alarming".
He stated: "The police seem to be investing a huge amount of time in arresting people for posting content online that, while it may be offensive, is not a crime. The repeated use of ambiguous communication laws represents a direct threat to freedom of expression on the Internet".
He added: "Security forces must remember that freedom of expression is an essential right and should only intervene in cases where it is truly necessary. Unnecessary arrests for social media posts create an intimidating effect that could undermine our democratic culture".
Regarding the arrests, he assured: "These data are extremely concerning, and the Home Secretary should order an independent review of how arrests for online expressions are being conducted and the current state of freedom of expression in the United Kingdom".
