THERE were extraordinary scenes at Lydney Town Council on Monday night (January 14) when police arrested teenage political activist Zac Arnold for an alleged breach of the peace.

The Forest Labour Party’s Youth organiser had been ordered from the chamber during a council meeting, but refused to leave until his questions were answered.

Councillors and officials left the chamber for more than 30 minutes before a police officer arrived and escorted the sixth former outside the building.

The 18-year-old then filmed the officer asking him to move on, with the moment of his arrest later posted on Mr Arnold’s Facebook page after the teenager said he would remain to question councillors as they left.

Reading from printed sheets of paper at the meeting, Mr Arnold had questioned why the council had ‘refused’ to support the Forest’s Youth Services initiative; demanded an “unequivocal” apology over a social media post which he claimed attacked him; and criticised town mayor Cllr Bob Berryman for reportedly backing a possible new B&M budget store in the town, which he claimed was not the sort of business Lydney needed.

Contacted by the Review yesterday morning (Tuesday, January 15), town council chief executive Jayne Smailes said: “I have no comment… I can’t make any comment at all… If you want any information I suggest you contact the local police.”

After being asked to leave the chamber, Mr Arnold posted on social media: “No answers whatsoever. They have now called the police to remove me because I am sat peacefully awaiting some answers.”

Before the police arrived, the teenager posted a picture of an empty council chamber, and said: “The councillors seem to have disappeared... maybe they didn’t like my question about B&M.

“I’ve asked a question, I’m waiting for an answer. They’ve asked me to leave but until I get an answer I shall remain here. I have been advised the police have been called.”

Having been escorted out, he began filming on his phone and told the officer that claims he had been ‘abusive’ were ‘rubbish’.

The officer is seen warning that he is now on public land, and if councillors and staff say he is being abusive when they leave, he is “upping the ante to a public order or a criminal offence.”

“I’ve got about 15 people in there saying you were abusive and derogatory,” says the officer.

Mr Arnold responds: “But I’m not being abusive. I asked some simple questions… Literally everything I’ve said has been written on this paper…

“They’ve got a vendetta against me because I keep asking the difficult questions…”

Told he had what he wanted for a press release, Mr Arnold said: “I’ve got what I want to cause more trouble, but I actually want an answer to the questions… it’s their job, they are here to represent us, why can’t they answer my question?”

The policeman says: “Because of your alleged behaviour inside,” to which the Labour Party member replies: “What behaviour inside? I simply read off a piece of paper. The only bit of behaviour which was unacceptable was me not leaving when asked to leave, but I did it in a peaceful way. I just sat down in the corner.”

After refusing to move on, the policeman says: “I’m arresting you for breach of the peace,” before taking his phone.

A Gloucestershire Police spokesman later said: “We were called to an incident at Lydney Town Council at around 7.25pm yesterday (January 15). It was reported that a man had been verbally abusive towards an official.

“When officers arrived the man was spoken to and arrested in order to prevent a breach of the peace. He was subsequently taken home and will face no further action.”

Cllr Alan Preest, who attended the meeting, labelled the incident ‘absurd’.

“I wish there were recordings of Lydney Town Council meetings as this scenerio would put everything into perspective.

“Had it been recorded, people would be able to see and hear for themselves how absurd this incident was.

“Both Gloucestershire County Council and Forest of Dean District Council meetings are recorded, so it should be in future at Lydney.”

Mr Arnold said yesterday he had remained “calm” throughout and said the council had “attempted to silence me.”

He said he told police he would not move on until “the council or its representatives answered my perfectly legitimate questions.”