Anti-monarchy protests: police confirm multiple arrests have been made at the coronation
The Metropolitan Police have shared a statement confirming they've arrested protestors for "breaching the peace" on the day of King Charles III's coronation. Images have circulated of protest groups holding banners with slogans including 'not my King', 'abolish the monarchy' and another made reference to Virginia Giuffre (the woman who accused Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, of sexually assaulting her as a minor – something he has strongly denied on numerous occasions).
Another sign simply read: 'Don't you think this is all a bit silly?'.
"A significant police operation is under way in central London," the Met said in a tweet. "We have made a number of arrests in the area of Carlton House Terrace. The individuals have been held on suspicion of breaching the peace."
A follow-up tweet added that four people were also arrested around St Martin's Lane and were "held on suspicion of conspiracy to cause public nuisance [...] we seized lock-on devices".
A significant police operation is under way in central London.
We have made a number of arrests in the area of Carlton House Terrace.
The individuals have been held on suspicion of breaching the peace.— Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) May 6, 2023
Three more people were arrested in the Wellington Arch area and held on suspicion of possessing articles to cause criminal damage.
Graham Smith, the head of Republic, an anti-monarchist group, is amongst those arrested in London today. It's reported he was approached by police whilst collecting placards on The Strand.
Republic's director, Harry Stratton, later told press, "They were collecting the placards and bringing them over when the police stopped them. The guys asked why and they were told 'we will tell you that once we have searched the vehicle'. That's when they arrested the six organisers.
"We asked on what grounds they had been arrested but they wouldn't say. It is a surprise as we had had a number of meetings with the police. They had been making all the right noises."
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