A Hertfordshire school has been scolded after the parents of a nine-year-old pupil were arrested and held in police cells for 11 hours after complaining about the school in a WhatsApp group.
The couple were arrested in front of their crying children before being taken to Stevenage police station.
After a five-week investigation, Hertfordshire Constabulary concluded there was no case to answer.
Speaking to GB News, political commentator Jennifer Powers said the move was "really scary", and would "send a chill down the spine of parents" across Britain.
Jennifer Powers hit out at the Hertfordshire school for allowing two parents to be arrested over comments made in a WhatsApp group
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Discussing the case, Powers told GB News: "I think this will send a chill down the spine of most parents, because we're all members of far too many WhatsApp groups.
"And to think that if you make a complaint or comment about your child's school, which many of us do on a regular basis, that we could find in this case half a dozen police officers turn up at our door is really scary."
Highlighting the rise of "free speech policing" with non-crime hate incidences, Powers questioned why the police are "getting involved" in a parent WhatsApp group.
She said: "We're in this context of non-crime hate incidences which were brought in by police forces under the last government, and the Conservatives weren't able or willing to reform that system. And this remains the case under this Labour Government.
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The couple had been banned from entering Cowley Hill Primary School in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, after questioning the head teacher appointment process GOOGLE MAPS"So we do have this context in which police forces think, rightly or wrongly, that they can police the speech of private citizens. And so we're really in that space of who determines what's harmful.
"And actually, if something's lawful, which everything in this case looks as though it's incredibly lawful behaviour, why indeed is the police getting involved?"
As host Dawn Neesom emphasised Labour's claim that they would impose a restriction on such incidents taking place, Powers argued that it still gives police "plenty of room" to take action.
Powers explained: "They said there would be less of them, but I mean, that doesn't help. That still gives police plenty of room, plenty of gray area. So I wonder, will this be the final straw? Will the Home Office finally realise they need to take the police forces by the neck and say enough?"
Powers told GB News that the arrests are 'really scary'
GB News
A spokesman for Cowley Hill Primary school said: “We sought advice from the police following a high volume of direct correspondence and public social media posts from two parents, as this was becoming upsetting for staff, parents and governors.
“We’re always happy for parents to raise concerns, but we do ask that they do this in a suitable way, and in line with the school’s published complaints procedure.”
A Hertfordshire Police spokesman said: "The arrests were necessary to fully investigate the allegations as is routine in these types of matters.
"Following further investigations, officers deemed that no further action should be taken due to insufficient evidence."
