A woman was detained by law enforcement and issued a £100 fixed penalty notice in a concerning occurrence for feeding pigeons at a small park.
London Wildlife Protection, an animal welfare organization, criticized officers from London Metropolitan Police, alleging that 11 officers apprehended one of their members for “feeding and tending to pigeons”. The incident, in which the unidentified woman was feeding the birds in Wealdstone Square, Harrow, took place on January 7.
A video circulated by the animal rights group depicted the woman being escorted by multiple Met police officers, who stated that she was arrested for “violating Section 50 of the Police Reform Act”.
London Wildlife Protection expressed dismay on social media over what they perceived as unfair treatment of their volunteer, denouncing the police action as “unjust and disgraceful”. The group emphasized, “This distressing video highlights a troubling incident where eleven police officers detained one of our volunteers in Harrow simply for feeding and caring for pigeons.
“It is distressing to witness someone being treated unfairly, especially for an act as peaceful as assisting pigeons. We intend to file formal complaints and pursue legal recourse against this unjust and disgraceful conduct.”
According to a spokesperson from the Metropolitan Police speaking to Harrow Online, the woman was not detained for feeding the pigeons but for refusing to provide her information to local authorities attempting to issue a fixed penalty notice. The spokesperson mentioned that she was subsequently “de-arrested and handled by council officers”.
The spokesperson stated: “At approximately 14:30hrs on Wednesday, 7 January, officers were approached by local council enforcement officers addressing an anti-social behavior incident on Wealdstone High Street, Harrow.”
“A woman in her 40s was repeatedly requested to disclose her name and address for the issuance of a fixed penalty notice. After conversing with officers for around 20 minutes, she persistently declined to divulge her personal details. She was arrested on suspicion of breaching Section 50 of the Police Reform Act, which mandates individuals to provide their name and address when requested by the police.
“Her information was later obtained, and she was released from custody and managed by council officers.” Harrow Council, in a separate statement, asserted that the woman violated a Public Spaces Protection Order prohibiting bird feeding in the vicinity.
A representative stated: “There was a breach of the Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) related to bird feeding. The individual refused to provide their details, which is an offense, and also declined to cease feeding pigeons when instructed to do so. Our PSPO aims to maintain cleanliness and safety in our streets, and individuals found violating it face a £100 fixed penalty notice.”
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