People Are Being Arrested in the UK for Protesting Against the Monarchy

Two people were arrested at opposite ends of the UK over the weekend for protesting against the monarchy as King Charles III was officially proclaimed as Queen Elizabeth II’s successor.

A 22-year-old woman was arrested on Sunday outside St Giles cathedral in Edinburgh, where the Queen’s coffin was due to lie until Monday, for holding up a sign that said “fuck imperialism, abolish monarchy.”

As she was led away, some people in the crowd reportedly applauded, while at least one person shouted “let her go, it’s free speech.” Police said the woman had been arrested “in connection with a breach of the peace.” On Monday it was revealed she would face criminal charges, to appear in court at a later date.

Meanwhile in Oxford, a man was arrested after shouting “who elected him?” as he walked past an event where King Charles III was being proclaimed as the new king on Sunday.

Symon Hill, 45, said that he was walking home from church when he stumbled upon the event. “I doubt most of the people in the crowd even heard me. Two or three people near me told me to shut up,” he wrote. “I didn’t insult them or attack them personally, but responded by saying that a head of state was being imposed on us without our consent.”

Hill said security guards intervened first before police then approached him too and led him away before handcuffing him and placing him in the back of a police van.

Thames Valley Police told VICE World News: “A 45-year-old man was arrested in connection with a disturbance that was caused during the county proclamation ceremony of King Charles III in Oxford.

“He has subsequently been de-arrested and is engaging with us voluntarily as we investigate a public order offence.”

Police said that Hill had been arrested on suspicion of a public order offence, relating to behaviour that could likely cause harassment, alarm or distress.

On Monday, footage from central London showed a protester holding a sign with the words “not my King” on it being led away by police.

Following this, a lawyer said he had been told by a police officer in Parliament Square that if he wrote the same words on a blank piece of paper he would be arrested. VICE World News has reached out to Paul Powlesland for more details of the incident, which he also posted footage of.

Also on Monday, a 22-year-old man was arrested in Edinburgh for heckling Prince Andrew as the Queen’s coffin was escorted through the city.

Footage showed the man being pulled from the crowd by officers and other members of the public, with police saying he was later arrested in connection with a breach of the peace.