Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Saturday, May 31, 2025

Dozens of protesters arrested during Coronation

Dozens of protesters arrested during Coronation

Dozens of people have been arrested during the King's Coronation, including the leader of a prominent anti-monarchy group.

London's Metropolitan Police said 52 arrests were made for a range of reasons, and all remain in custody.

The arrest of anti-monarchy protesters earlier in the day has been labelled "alarming" by human rights groups.

The Met said it "understands" public concern, but that officers had acted proportionally under the law.

"Protest is lawful and it can be disruptive," Commander Karen Findlay, leading the day's operation, said - pointing to numerous protests that had been policed without any arrests.

Officers, she said, have a duty to intervene "when protest becomes criminal and may cause serious disruption".

"This depends on the context. The Coronation is a once in a generation event and that is a key consideration in our assessment."

Accusations of heavy-handed enforcement began early on Saturday before the Coronation began, when the chief executive of anti-monarchist campaign group Republic, Graham Smith, was arrested at a protest in Trafalgar Square.

Footage showed protesters in "Not My King" t-shirts being detained, including Mr Smith. Republic said they were stopped by police while unloading signs near the procession.

The Met said "lock-on devices" - which protesters can use to secure themselves to things like railings - had been seized. Recent changes to the law, passed this week, make it illegal to prepare to lock-on.

But Republic said officers had "misconstrued" straps meant to secure their signs in place.


Police said the 52 arrests were made for offences including affray, public order offences, breach of the peace and conspiracy to cause a public nuisance.

A breakdown provided later revealed that 32 - or about 60% - were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to cause a public nuisance.

The Met did not specify how many arrests were of anti-monarchy protesters, but climate group Just Stop Oil said about 13 protesters were arrested on the Mall in London and five others in Downing Street.

A Just Stop Oil spokeswoman said their plan was "only to display T-shirts and flags", adding: "This is a dystopian nightmare."

Fellow environmental protesters Animal Rising said a number of their supporters were arrested at a training session "miles away from the coronation".

"The reports of people being arrested for peacefully protesting the coronation are incredibly alarming," said Human Rights Watch UK director Yasmine Ahmed.

"This is something you would expect to see in Moscow, not London."

Hundreds of protesters gathered in the rain in central London on Saturday, with chants including "down with the Crown", "don't talk to the police" and "get a real job".

Other protests were organised in Cardiff, Glasgow and Edinburgh. No arrests were reported outside London.

Republic posted photos on Twitter of police officers taking details from those who were arrested.

"So much for the right to peaceful protest," the group said, adding the force would not give the reasons for their arrest.


During the Coronation ceremony, which was broadcast in Trafalgar Square over loud speakers, hundreds of protesters booed the declarations of "God Save the King".

Around 300 people gathered for a protest organised by Republic Cymru in Cardiff City Centre.

In Scotland, supporters of Scottish independence chanted anti-monarchy slogans on a march in Glasgow city centre, while a separate rally was held by the group Our Republic, which campaigns for an elected head of state.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
Head of Gaza Aid Group Resigns Amid Humanitarian Concerns
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
Netanyahu Accuses Starmer of Siding with Hamas
Calls Grow to Resume Syrian Asylum Claims in UK
UAE Offers Free ChatGPT Plus Subscriptions to Citizens
Denmark Increases Retirement Age to 70, Setting a European Precedent
Iranian Director Jafar Panahi Wins Palme d'Or at Cannes
Israeli Airstrike Kills Nine Children of Gaza Doctor
Lebanon Initiates Plan to Disarm Palestinian Factions
Iran and U.S. Make Limited Progress in Nuclear Talks
Trump Administration's Tariff Policies and Dollar Strategy Spark Global Economic Debate
OpenAI Acquires Jony Ive’s Startup for $6.5 Billion to Build a Revolutionary “Third Core Device”
Turkey Weighs Citizens in Public as Erdoğan Launches National Slimming Campaign
UK Suspends Trade Talks with Israel Amid Gaza Offensive
Iran and U.S. Set for Fifth Round of Nuclear Talks Amid Rising Tensions
Russia Expands Military Presence Near Finland Amid Rising Tensions
Indian Scholar Arrested in Crackdown Over Pakistan Conflict Commentary
Israel Eases Gaza Blockade Amid Internal Dispute Over Military Strategy
President Biden’s announcement of advanced prostate cancer sparked public sympathy—but behind closed doors, Democrats are in panic
Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki Erupts Again, Spewing Ash Cloud over Flores Island
Indian jet shootdown: the all-robot legion behind China’s PL-15E missiles
The Chinese Dragon: The True Winner in the India-Pakistan Clash
Australia's Venomous Creatures Contribute to Life-Saving Antivenom Programme
The Spanish Were Right: Long Working Hours Harm Brain Function
Did Former FBI Director Call for Violence Against Trump? Instagram Post Sparks Uproar
US and UAE Partner to Develop Massive AI Data Center Complex
Apple's $95 Million Siri Settlement: Eligible Users Have Until July 2 to File Claims
US and UAE Reach Preliminary Agreement on Nvidia AI Chip Imports
President Trump and Elon Musk Welcomed by Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim with Cybertruck Convoy
Strong Warning Issued: Do Not Use General Chatbots for Medical, Legal, or Educational Guidance
NVIDIA and Saudi Arabia Launch Strategic Partnership to Establish AI Centers
Trump Meets Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara in Historic Encounter
US and Saudi Arabia Sign Landmark Agreements Across Multiple Sectors
Why Saudi Arabia Rolled Out a Purple Carpet for Donald Trump Instead of Red
Elon Musk Joins Trump Meeting in Saudi Arabia
Trump says it would be 'stupid' not to accept gift of Qatari plane
Quantum Computing Threatens Bitcoin Security
Michael Jordan to Serve as Analyst for NBA Games
Senate Democrats Move to Censure Trump Over Qatar Jet Gift
Hamas Releases Last Living US Hostage from Gaza Amid Ongoing Conflict
×