Met arrest 15 activists in mass shoplifting plot

Metropolitan Police officers have arrested 15 people to disrupt a planned ‘mass shoplifting’ campaign by the activist group Take Back Power, following a raid in Westminster on Thursday evening (5th March).

Members of the group – which claimed responsibility for stunts involving criminal damage that targeted the Ritz and the Crown Jewels in December – had been planning a campaign that would have seen them steal from high street supermarkets before redistributing the stolen goods elsewhere.

On Thursday activists planning to take part in the campaign gathered at the Quaker Meeting House in Westminster to take part in ‘nonviolent direct action training’. They were interrupted by officers from the Met’s Public Order Crime Team who arrested 15 people on suspicion of conspiracy to commit theft.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner James Harman said: “There is a clear difference between lawful protest and criminal acts.

“This evening’s operation tackled a group who we have grounds to suspect were planning to steal from shops in a large, targeted and organised way. Theft is a crime and the public expect the police to deal with it - which is exactly what we have done today.

“I know that a similar operation at the same Quaker Meeting House last March, which saw the arrest of a number of Youth Demand activists, attracted some concern.

“While we reflected carefully on those previous concerns before approving tonight’s operation, and took steps to ensure we caused minimal disruption, we ultimately felt we had no choice but to act. We cannot get into a situation where groups planning criminal acts can escape police action simply by booking rooms in certain venues.

‘‘The criminal investigation will now continue.”

One man arrested has since been bailed and 14 were taken into custody at London police stations where they remain.