Joe Booth, a 23-year-old nonverbal autistic self-advocate has been arrested. He allegedly conspired to committing actions amounting to a public nuisance at a supported housing accommodation for vulnerable adults in New Barnet, north London. The arrest, which took place in the early hours of the morning, involved seven police officers storming into Booth’s residence while he was still in bed. This consequential move has understandably drawn a lot of attention. Booth—who is widely recognized for his peaceful direct action—says he’s never been involved in disruptive protests before.
Booth’s arrest appears linked to his strong leadership during weekly meetings held by Youth Demand. This grassroots activist group generates massive opposition to arms sales to Israel and fuels campaigns to combat the damage caused by fossil fuels. He was last with us when he joined the peaceful Youth Demand march at Downing Street in September. There, he energetically handed out pamphlets that advanced the group’s goals. Having led an inspiring life of nonviolent activism, Booth suddenly finds himself accused of dangerous crimes after this most recent questionable arrest.
In the police interrogation following his arrest, Booth described being presented with photographs of protests he hadn’t even been to. His brother was in the interview room, serving as an “appropriate adult,” which can recognize the vulnerability that Booth experienced. This precaution serves to highlight the difficulties Booth experiences as a result of his autism, especially in moments of high stress.
This arrest wasn’t Booth’s first experience with police. He had been held since June 2024 for similar reasons after joining Just Stop Oil meetings. After this previous occurrence, he was released on police bail with conditions including a prohibitive exclusion zone around Westminster.
From that perspective Booth went on to explain how the arrest impacted his mental health. He still goes to weekly therapy today to deal with post-traumatic stress disorder from that close call. I think of this young man’s account of his fear and anxiety around police encounters. He shared, “Whenever I hear, or sometimes even anticipate, noise in the hallway, I fear it could be the police. A simple knock on my door — especially during the early morning hours — puts me in a state of panic.”
For Booth, after his latest arrest, that journey entailed a two-hour ride to the police station in Kingston. There, he suffered through over seven hours of drawing out interrogation. He remembers still the look on an officer’s face when he approached him. The officer continued in no uncertain terms, “I’m going to have to place you in handcuffs.” This new encounter only compounded his distress, which Daniel today says he traces back to the break in his normally regimented daily routine.
Through his work, Booth has been able to articulate the distinctive challenges he encounters as an autistic person. “Just like all autistic people sometimes, I have a hard time processing messages that are communicated to me,” he said. “This is why I always have people on staff when I get letters, because I read things in a different way.”
As a cleaner on the London underground, Booth is used to the ability to maintain a strict routine that allows him to keep his disease at bay. Those legal troubles are a lot to have hanging over your head. These stressors create barriers for him to keep that structure.