A French publisher who was arrested under anti-terrorism laws will face no further action, the Met Police said.
Ernest Moret, 28, a freelancer at the left-wing Editions La Fabrique, was detained at St Pancras station in April after arriving on a Eurostar service from Paris.
He had travelled to the UK to attend the London Book Fair, but was held for questioning under Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act, which allows police to investigate those passing through UK borders.
He was then arrested on suspicion of obstructing the investigation and put in custody.
His employer, the left-wing publishing house Editions La Fabrique, denounced the “scandalous treatment” and said the arrest related to his participation in protests against pension reforms in France.
He has since been released from custody and will face no further action.
Commander Dominic Murphy, who leads the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command, said: “We are aware that this police interaction generated a lot of commentary about our use of Schedule 7 powers, and whether it was necessary and proportionate in this case.
“The public would rightly expect that the use of Counter Terrorism powers is always carefully considered, and we have reflected on this particular interaction so we can identify any learning.
“Schedule 7 is a valuable power in protecting the borders of the UK and remains an important tool in our efforts to counter the terrorist threat and keep the public safe.
“We have a clear set of guidelines for our officers to follow when they carry out such stops. The use of Schedule 7 is also, quite rightly, the subject of independent scrutiny and we welcome such checks and balances to ensure we are accountable.
“As part of this, we are fully engaged with the UK’s Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation, Jonathan Hall KC, who is currently reviewing this case.”
“We have also met with representatives from the National Union of Journalists to listen to concerns they raised about this stop. We will continue to be as open as possible about our work and take very opportunity to reflect on feedback and learning from our interactions”
