Paul Powlesland, 36, a barrister and nature rights activist from Barking in east London, had travelled into the centre of the capital on Monday afternoon with “a blank piece of paper”.

“Why would you ask for my details?” he can be heard asking the officer in a video, who said: “I wanted to make sure you didn’t have bail conditions (inaudible).”

The officer replied: “You said you were going to write stuff on it, that may offend people, around the King. It may offend someone.”

Mr Powlesland said the officer told him he risked being arrested if he wrote “not my King” on the paper.

The Metropolitan Police issued a statement in response to the incident.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Stuart Cundy said: “We’re aware of a video online showing an officer speaking with a member of the public outside the Palace of Westminster earlier today.

“The public absolutely have a right of protest and we have been making this clear to all officers involved in the extraordinary policing operation currently in place and we will continue do so.


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