A woman in her forties has been arrested and slapped with a £100 fine after an incident involving feeding pigeons in northwest London. The arrest took place on Wealdstone High Street in Harrow on Wednesday, 7 January 2026, after council enforcement officers intervened.
The Incident and Arrest on Wealdstone High Street
The situation unfolded at around 2:30pm when Harrow Council enforcement officers approached the woman. They alleged she was in breach of a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) specifically relating to bird feeding, which is active across several English councils to combat excessive pigeon feeding in town centres.
Officers stated they initially gave the woman a warning for ‘throwing bread on the floor’ to feed the birds. According to the council, she refused to stop the activity when asked. The encounter escalated when she reportedly repeatedly refused to provide her name, age, and address over a period of approximately 20 minutes, preventing officers from issuing the fixed penalty notice on the spot.
As a result, Metropolitan Police officers, who were approached by the council team, arrested the woman on suspicion of breaching Section 50 of the Police Reform Act. This law requires individuals to provide their personal details when lawfully requested by the police.
Public Reaction and Council Statement
Footage captured by a passerby and shared online shows a visibly upset woman in handcuffs, surrounded by up to six people, including police officers. In the video, one officer is seen holding her arm while another confiscates items from her pockets, placing them in a police evidence bag.
The person filming can be heard exclaiming, ‘The lady is getting arrested for feeding the pigeons’, and adds, ‘That’s not a reason to have the woman in handcuffs’. The video documents the woman being led to a police van, though she was later released after her details were finally obtained.
A spokesperson for Harrow Council defended the action, stating: ‘Our PSPO is in place to help keep our streets clean and safe for everyone and anyone found breaching these faces £100 fixed penalty notice.’ They confirmed the individual had refused both to stop feeding the pigeons and to provide her details, which itself constitutes an offence.
Consequences and Fixed Penalty Notice
Following her release from police custody, the matter was handed back to council officers. The woman was issued a fixed penalty notice of £100, which she must pay within 28 days to avoid potential prosecution.
The official note given to her stated that failure to pay could result in being ‘summoned to appear in the Magistrate court’. The Metropolitan Police confirmed the de-arrest, noting she was subsequently ‘dealt with by council officers’.
This case highlights the strict enforcement of PSPOs in urban areas, where feeding pigeons is classified as an anti-social behaviour issue due to the mess and pest problems it can create. The standard practice for council officers, as followed here, is to call the police if an individual refuses to comply with a warning or to provide identifying information.
