Six anti-monarchist activists were arrested early Saturday morning in London as they prepared to demonstrate against the coronation of King Carlos III, protest organizers told AFP.
The director of the anti-monarchist group ‘Republic’, Graham Smith, and other organizers of an anti-coronation protest were arrested while distributing banners to protesters in the iconic Trafalgar Square when he was stopped by police, charged and the group, according to the newspaper indicated The Guardian.
“republic” seeks to replace the monarch with an elected head of state and support a protest this Saturday with the slogan “NotMyKing” (not my king).
“They were collecting the banners and carrying them away when the police stopped them,” said Harry Stratton, a Republic member who arrived when Smith and the others were arrested.
Members of the organization were removing banners from a vehicle when they were arrested.
“The boys asked why and said: we will tell you once we search the vehicle. At that time they arrested six organizers. We asked them why they were arrested, but they didn’t answer. surprise as we had had several encounters with the police. They had made all the right noises,” Stratton added.
The arrest took place at around 7.30am local time, when hundreds of anti-monarchist protesters had gathered in Trafalgar Square with flags and yellow shirts to highlight their opposition to the monarch’s coronation.
Security forces had put in place a strong security posture, with more than 10,000 officers deployed on the streets of the British capital to ensure that the event went off without incident.
frustrated plans
Veteran anti-monarchist activist Graham Smith had previously announced they were preparing to demonstrate this Saturday, but promised the protest would be “peaceful and pleasant”.
While megaphones, taunting slogans, and perhaps boos were expected, “the eggs won’t be thrown,” he assured.
“We don’t want to interrupt the procession, just show the world that there is growing opposition to the monarchy in the UK. Throwing eggs and other objects leads to arrests and that’s not what we want,” he told reporters this week.
Followers of the group founded in 1983, which says it has soared to 130,000 following the death of Elizabeth II on Sept. 8, will position themselves at key points in the coronation procession, between Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace, with a “noisy” contingent at Trafalgar Square.
Source: Agencies
Source: Clarin
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