London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
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

0:00
0:00
Close
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
U.S. Justice Department Reduces American Bar Association's Role in Judicial Nominations
U.S. Department of Energy Unveils 'Doudna' Supercomputer to Advance AI Research
U.S. SEC Dismisses Lawsuit Against Binance Amid Regulatory Shift
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
U.S. Goods Imports Plunge Nearly 20% Amid Tariff Disruptions
OpenAI Faces Competition from Cheaper AI Rivals
Foreign Tax Provision in U.S. Budget Bill Alarms Investors
Trump Accuses China of Violating Trade Agreement
Gerry Adams Wins Libel Case Against BBC
Russia Accuses Serbia of Supplying Arms to Ukraine
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
Chinese Woman Dies After Being Forced to Visit Bank Despite Critical Illness
President Trump Grants Full Pardons to Reality TV Stars Todd and Julie Chrisley
Texas Enacts App Store Accountability Act Mandating Age Verification
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Vatican Calls for Sustainable Tourism in 2025 Message
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
Trump Threatens 25% Tariff on iPhones Amid Dispute with Apple CEO
Putin's Helicopter Reportedly Targeted by Ukrainian Drones
Liverpool Car Ramming Incident Leaves Multiple Injured
Australia Faces Immigration Debate Following Labor Party Victory
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
Macron Dismisses Viral Video of Wife's Gesture as Playful Banter
Cleveland Clinic Study Questions Effectiveness of Recent Flu Vaccine
Netanyahu Accuses Starmer of Siding with Hamas
Junior Doctors Threaten Strike Over 4% Pay Offer
Labour MPs Urge Chancellor to Tax Wealthy Over Cutting Welfare
Publication of UK Child Poverty Strategy Delayed Until Autumn
France Detains UK Fishing Vessel Amid Post-Brexit Tensions
Calls Grow to Resume Syrian Asylum Claims in UK
Nigel Farage Pledges to Reinstate Winter Fuel Payments
Boris and Carrie Johnson Welcome Daughter Poppy
×