London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Mar 28, 2026

Arrests of anti-monarchists prompt free-speech concerns

Arrests of anti-monarchists prompt free-speech concerns

The arrests of anti-monarchy protesters after the death of Queen Elizabeth II are "deeply concerning", free-speech campaigners have said.

Police in Scotland have arrested two people in recent days over alleged breaches of the peace, while a man was arrested and de-arrested in Oxford.

The arrests came at events to mark the Queen's death and proclaim King Charles III Britain's new monarch.

Campaigners said the right to protest was fundamental and must be protected.

On Sunday, a 22-year-old woman was charged in connection with a breach of the peace after being arrested during an accession proclamation for the King outside St Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh.

She was later released and will appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court at a later date.

On the same day, Symon Hill, 45, was arrested on suspicion of a public order offence after shouting "Who elected him?" during another accession proclamation in Oxford.

Thames Valley Police said he was later de-arrested and was assisting officers "voluntarily".

On Monday, a 22-year-old man was arrested in connection with a breach of the peace after reportedly heckling Prince Andrew as the royal procession moved along Edinburgh's Royal Mile.

Ruth Smeeth, chief executive of Index on Censorship, said the arrests were "deeply concerning", adding: "We must guard against this event being used, by accident or design, to erode in any way the freedom of expression that citizens of this country enjoy."

Silkie Carlo, director of Big Brother Watch, said police officers had a "duty to protect people's right to protest as much as they have a duty to facilitate people's right to express support, sorrow, or pay their respects".

Jodie Beck, policy and campaigns officer at Liberty, said it was "very worrying to see the police enforcing their broad powers in such a heavy-handed and punitive way".

"Protest is not a gift from the State, it is a fundamental right," she said.

Huge numbers of people are expected to flock to the capital over the coming week


Also on Monday, a protester holding a sign reading "Not my King" outside parliament ahead of the King's arrival at Westminster Hall was ushered away by police.

The Metropolitan Police said a member of the public had been asked to move from outside the Palace of Westminster "in order to facilitate vehicle access and egress through the gates" but had not been arrested or asked to leave the wider area.

The Met also responded to a video circulating on social media in which an officer is heard asking for the details of a man who had held up a blank piece of paper and expressed an intention to write "Not my King" on it. The officer - who was reportedly from another force brought in to assist the Met - is heard saying the message "may offend people".

A statement from Deputy Assistant Commissioner Stuart Cundy reads: "The public absolutely have a right to protest and we have been making this clear to all officers involved in the extraordinary policing operation currently in place."

Around 1,500 military personnel will work alongside police and civilian stewards to manage the huge numbers of people expected to flock to London over the next week.

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley has said his force faced a "massive challenge".

"We will have a safe event, but we're going to be putting thousands of officers into this because of the level of security required and the millions of people who want to pay their respects," he said.

The prime minister's spokesman would not comment on individual arrests, but said: "More broadly, obviously, this is a period of national mourning for the majority, the vast, vast majority of the country.

"But the fundamental right to protest remains as a keystone of our democracy."

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Fresh Claims Emerge Over Harry and Meghan’s Australia Visit as Insider Speaks Out
NATO Assessment Indicates UK Defence Spending Has Fallen Below Alliance Average
FTSE 100 Slips as Middle East Tensions Weigh on Investor Sentiment
UK Economy Begins to Feel Early Impact of Iran Conflict as Policy Challenges Intensify
Russian National Jailed in UK After Assault Case Linked to Barron Trump’s Alert
Energy Price Surge Accelerates Shift Away from Fossil Fuels in UK Homes
UK Museums House More Than 260,000 Human Remains, New Report Reveals
Surging UK Gilt Yields Reflect Inflation Pressures and Fiscal Uncertainty
UK Issues Updated Guidance on Children’s Screen Time with Focus on Balance and Wellbeing
UK Migration Figures Show Shifting Trends Across Asylum, Visas and Channel Crossings
UK Watchdog Launches Probe into Five Firms Over Alleged Fake Reviews and Ratings
Jaguar Land Rover Halts Production at UK Plant Amid Supplier Disruption
UK Police Reverse Position, Confirm Arrests Will Resume for Palestine Action Protests
UK Small Businesses Face Europe’s Steepest Cost Pressures, New Survey Reveals
US Envoy Urges UK to Proceed with King’s Visit Amid Diplomatic Sensitivities
FTSE 100 Drops Over One Percent as Middle East Tensions Weigh on Markets
UK CO2 Plant Set to Reopen as Authorities Move to Safeguard Supplies Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Urges Stronger Defence Investment as He Questions Allied Naval Capabilities
New COVID Variant Detected in UK Raises Concerns Over Vaccine Effectiveness
FTSE Russell Moves to Standardise Free-Float Rules for UK and International Listings
HBO Max Launches in UK and Ireland, Marking Major Step in Global Streaming Expansion
UK Signals Readiness to Seize Russian ‘Shadow Fleet’ Vessels in Escalation of Sanctions Enforcement
Escalating Middle East Conflict Seen as Major Threat to UK Economic Stability
Early Challenges Mark Prince Harry and Meghan’s Australia Visit
UK Government Rejects Cover-Up Claims After Theft of Former PM Aide’s Phone
Cyprus Opens Strategic Talks with UK Over Sovereign Base Areas
UK Faces Risk of Sharp Inflation Surge Despite Stable Pre-Crisis Figures
UK Police Arrest Two Over Suspected Antisemitic Arson as Iran Link Investigated
UK Inflation Holds at Three Percent Ahead of Oil Price Shock from Iran Conflict
UK Fuel Prices Face Upward Pressure as Global Oil Trends Raise Cost Outlook
Girlguiding UK Sets September Deadline for Membership Policy Change Affecting Trans Participants
Germany and UK Accelerate Wind Power Expansion to Strengthen Energy Security
UK Moves to Ban Cryptocurrency Donations to Political Parties Over Foreign Influence Concerns
UK and Turkey Finalise Major Air Defence Agreement Worth Billions
Apple Introduces Mandatory Age Verification for iPhone Users in the UK
Diverging Views Emerge Over Meghan Markle’s Planned Australia Appearance
Trump Signals Frustration with UK Leadership Amid Diverging Approaches to Iran Conflict
UK Government Takes Control of Hunterston B as Landmark Nuclear Decommissioning Begins
UK Public Inflation Expectations Jump Sharply in March, Raising Pressure on Bank of England
UK Ministers Warn Expanded North Sea Drilling Would Deepen Exposure to Global Energy Volatility
Delayed UK Defence Investment Plan Leaves Suppliers Under Severe Financial Strain
Can Iran Strike the UK? Assessing the Real Military Threat as Conflict Escalates
Sanctioned Iranian Banker Linked to Luxury Marbella Villa Through UK Corporate Structure
Casey Bloys Navigates HBO Max UK Launch, Paramount Integration and Industry Buzz Over Netflix Meeting
Iran Conflict Sparks Sharp Turbulence in UK Mortgage Market, Reaching Pandemic-Era Disruption Levels
Major Donor Urges University of Kentucky to Reconsider Mitch Barnhart’s Post-Retirement Role
United Kingdom Moves to Lead International Effort to Reopen Strait of Hormuz
UK Police Investigate Targeted Attack on Jewish Ambulance Vehicles
UK Police Investigate Targeted Attack on Jewish Ambulance Vehicles
Senior UK Advocate Criticises Barnhart Retirement Appointment, Calls for Reconsideration
×