King Charles III coronation: Police arrest anti-monarchy protesters ahead of coronation

LONDON — Police say multiple people have been arrested protesting King Charles III’s coronation Saturday in central London.

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Metropolitan Police on Twitter confirmed that seven people were arrested. Four people were arrested near St. Martine’s Lane in central London and “held on suspicion of conspiracy to cause public nuisance.” Police say they seized “lock-on devices.” An additional three people were arrested near Wellington Arch for “possessing articles to cause criminal damage.”

The arrests took place about a mile from Westminister Abbey, the Washington Post reported.

BBC reported that Republic’s CEO Graham Smith was one of those arrested for protesting along the process route.

An anti-monarchist group organized by Republic had planned to throw a protest at Trafalgar Square in central London, according to the New York Times. The group laid low during the events around Queen Elizabeth II’s death last September not to appear insensitive.

The group for the coronation expected around 1,000 people holding yellow banners and wearing yellow clothing. According to the Times, multiple anti-coronation parties are also planned around Britain.

Protestors chanted and carried signs that said, “Not My King.” The anti-monarchists were met with monarchists who worked to drown them out with chants and posters saying “That’s My King,” according to the Washington Post.

Charles appears to be less popular than his mother, Elizabeth, the Times reported.

Charles is no stranger to protestors. According to the Washington Post, he was met by protestors at public engagements including last year where he had eggs thrown at him in York and in Luton.

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Protests greet King Charles III on coronation day LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 06: Anti-monarchy protesters gather among well-wishers ahead of the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla on May 6, 2023 in London, England. The Coronation of Charles III and his wife, Camilla, as King and Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the other Commonwealth realms takes place at Westminster Abbey today. Charles acceded to the throne on 8 September 2022, upon the death of his mother, Elizabeth II. (Photo by Piroschka van de Wouw - WPA Pool/Getty Images) (WPA Pool/Getty Images)

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