Just before the coronation, the British government passed a law making it easier to arrest, detain and shut down protests and protesters. Instead of protecting free speech, police were give carte blanche to basically arrest or detain anyone they “suspected” of protesting the coronation. Before King Charles and Queen Camilla even got into their stupid gold coach to make the trek down to Westminster Abbey, cops arrested 52 anti-monarchy protesters. Not only that, but cops confiscated their signs. These were people who planned to simply hold up “Not My King” signs and maybe shout. That’s it.
British police arrested 52 anti-monarchy protesters yesterday. Footage showed protesters bearing the slogan “Not My King” being detained, including Graham Smith, chief executive of anti-monarchy group Republic. The group posted photos of officers taking details from them on Twitter. “So much for the right to peaceful protest,” the group said.
As The Daily Beast previously reported, legislation passed this week made it illegal to prepare to “lock-on” to things like street furniture and arrested Republic member Matt Turnbull suggested the straps holding the placards had been “misconstrued” as something that could be used for locking on. “To be honest we were never going to be allowed to be a visible force here. They knew we were coming, and they were going to find a way to stop this,” Turnbull told the BBC.
“We absolutely understand public concern following the arrests we made this morning,” Commander Karen Findlay of the London Metropolitan police said in a statement, quoted by Reuters. “Over the past 24 hours there has been a significant police operation after we received information protesters were determined to disrupt the Coronation procession.”
Police had said they had received intelligence that protesters were going to throw rape alarms at the ceremonial procession, which may have frightened the horses on parade, and therefore caused a risk to public safety.
Certainly, Coronation fever didn’t extend to every corner of the green and pleasant land. Fans at one football match even drowned out a recorded rendition of “God Save the King” with boos. Liverpool were playing Brentford at home, hours after King Charles’s coronation, when the boos occurred. Liverpool Football Club said it was asked to play “God Save the King” by the Premier League to mark the king’s coronation, and that how spectators chose to react was up to them.
The Daily Mirror’s northern football correspondent, David Maddock, tweeted that the booing coming from around “the entire ground” was so loud he did not even know the anthem had started. There have been several reports of fans at other football matches chanting, “You can stick your Coronation up your arse.”
“Police had said they had received intelligence that protesters were going to throw rape alarms” – so the police decided to arrest every person carrying an anti-monarchy sign and confiscate Republic’s signs? What do yellow posters have to do with rape alarms? If you couldn’t tell, the police are just making sh-t up as they go along. Most of the coverage I watched was on BBC News, and I was surprised that they included some commentators saying that, actually, one of the defining images of the Chubbly was non-violent protesters being handcuffed and arrested. All so a billionaire wouldn’t have to deign to see some unpleasant signage as he was driven to a party where he got to put on a hat worth billions in stolen jewels.
This is not arresting violent protesters.
This is silencing a protest before it even began. pic.twitter.com/aOPwjZCZxB
— Abbey Heffer (@AbbeyHeffer) May 6, 2023
Britain in 2023. Take a cold hard look at this, and realise that things are set to get much worse. pic.twitter.com/zFw00dfShh
— Martin O'Neill (@martin_oneill) May 3, 2023
Liverpool fans booing the national anthem before kick off pic.twitter.com/3tfyJqXZR6
— Football Fights (@footbalIfights) May 6, 2023
Photos courtesy of Cover Images.
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- Anti-monarchy protesters demonstrate in London ahead of the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla on Saturday. Featuring: Protesters Where: London, United Kingdom When: 06 May 2023 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- Protesters in Trafalgar Square ahead of the coronation ceremony of King Charles III and Queen Camilla at Westminster Abbey, London. Picture date: Saturday May 6, 2023. Featuring: Protesters Where: London, United Kingdom When: 06 May 2023 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- Anti-monarchy protesters demonstrate in London ahead of the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla on Saturday. Picture date: Saturday May 6, 2023. Featuring: Protesters Where: London, United Kingdom When: 05 May 2023 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- Anti-monarchy protesters demonstrate in London ahead of the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla on Saturday. Picture date: Saturday May 6, 2023. Featuring: Protesters Where: London, United Kingdom When: 06 May 2023 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- King Charles III wearing the St Edward’s Crown and Queen Camilla wearing the Queen Mary’s Crown during their coronation ceremony in Westminster Abbey, London. Featuring: Queen Camilla and King Charles III Where: London, United Kingdom When: 06 May 2023 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- King Charles III during his coronation at Westminster Abbey, London. Featuring: King Charles III Where: London, United Kingdom When: 06 May 2023 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- King Charles III and Queen Camilla on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, London, following the coronation. Picture date: Saturday May 6, 2023. Featuring: King Charles III, Queen Camilla Where: London, United Kingdom When: 06 May 2023 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- The British Royal family make an appearence on the balcony of Buckingham Palace after the Coronation Featuring: King Charles III, Queen Camilla Where: London, United Kingdom When: 06 May 2023 Credit: Dutch Press Photo/Cover Images **NOT AVAILABLE FOR PUBLICATION IN THE NETHERLANDS OR FRANCE**
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- The British Royal family make an appearence on the balcony of Buckingham Palace after the Coronation Featuring: King Charles III, Queen Camilla Where: London, United Kingdom When: 06 May 2023 Credit: Dutch Press Photo/Cover Images **NOT AVAILABLE FOR PUBLICATION IN THE NETHERLANDS OR FRANCE**
England, you have become a fascist state. This is fascism. Your leaders have embraced it. Do you see it?
Yup, Nazi Germany relied almost exclusively on “rumors” when rounding up anyone they did not like and that’s exactly what was done here. Shades of the Vel d’Hiv. I hope someone sues so we can dig down on those rumors and find out where they really came from.
My ‘esteemed’ (blind) fellow citizens are convinced only other countries can have fascists while the entire country is sleepwalking into it. I was aghast at reading that those protesters were arrested before protesting. N. Korea would have done the same. There’s no justification in a ‘so-called’ democratic country!! It was beyond appalling!!
I think it’s called preventive detention. In a democracy, it should be illegal. This also happened a lot in the south during protests against Jim Crow laws and for voting rights. Unfortunately, it’s probably not unheard of here in the States even now. But this was all very blatant.
Couldn’t agree more. This is glaring evidence of just how badly fundamental rights have been eroded in this country under the Conservative government
I look at history, of Edward VIII, his inherent selfishness, and how he was leaning into fascism which led to the govt and the church to use Wallis as the convenient crowbar to remove him from power. They knew what a danger such a king was to the nation then in that time. And that led to Elizabeth, which now leads to Charles, who is making the same misguided, selfishness-based choices that his great uncle did.
Back then Tories knew where to draw the line and the line into fascism they would never cross; not so the Tories of today. There are no better angels left in the political landscape of Britain, it would seem to those of us on the outside, looking in. No one to put Charles on a better path or really rein him in. The Tory govt and Charles are both on the same hideous self-serving page. “Apres moi, le deluge” – Elizabeth could see it all coming. I wonder how much it affected her to know that everything she did in her long years of service, trying to be the balm on the national wound of the Abdication in the previous generation, was about to be undone by her own son.
As an aside, I often wonder what her real thoughts and feelings were about Boris Johnson’s betrayal re: the proroguing of Parliament. Everyone at the time said she had the power and the duty to act? Was she prevented by Charles, who had already cemented his Shadow Regency by that point? I still find it hard to believe a woman who believed in her role and felt deep responsibility for her Constitutional duties to the extent that Her Maj did, would easily step aside in a matter like that. I got the ill-feeling at the time that she had been purposely muzzled in a deal between Chaz and the Tories. I feel it isn’t talked of enough.
This is soo f*cking sick!! What’s wrong with England? That reminds me of Russia…
Wouldn’t surprise me if a certain media magnate is in league with Russia to have the UK under their control.
The EU doesn’t listen to him, but a UK separated from the EU is much more vulnerable and easier to control.
The amount of Russian influence in London is insane.
I agree with you, Russia has a lot of influence in England (if you only think of the BRF’s shady dealings with Russian oligarchs). But I wouldn’t blame everything on Russia and portray England as a victim. It was England’s decision to leave the EU (I think the crass nationalism in England is very dangerous) and yes like trump’s election the media played a big role in it, but it were still the English people that allowed themselves to be manipulated. I think it’s mainly the fault of the tories, the monarchy (the class system, the social climate they support and fuel,..) and rich people with influence (murdoch…)
that’s what happens when you have people willing to sell their country so they can continue to have an aristocratic class. people of the UK need to stand up but they fell like lemmings for brexit so i don’t hold out much hope. they need to stop worshipping the past and realize that it’s a distraction to steal from them.
@Sam, I didn’t blame everything on Russia.
I mentioned the media as well.
In the months before the Brexit vote, media were filled with headlines making EU citizens look like parasites and criminals.
Even people who did not buy those magazines/papers, would still see those headlines screaming at them from news stands and in shops everywhere constantly.
Love the big losses for the Tories in the local elections.
In a country so heavily focused on class differences, it seems like the BRF have aligned with creepy media and other elites wanting to go back to a feudal society.
Not this time, bitches.
The thrashing the Tories took in local elections was the real story from this weekend, not the coronation. And this with blatant attempts at voter suppression from what I’ve read?
Yes Neners, they’ve introduced photo ID recognition at the last elections and Tories lost hundreds of seats anyway.
It completely backfired on them – despite the list of acceptable forms of ID being heavily skewed towards elderly (Tory) voters, many of those who didn’t take ID to vote were older. Couldn’t have happened to a nicer fascist party.
I live in a n area so Tory a donkey with a blue rosette would normally win. But last week we had our first ever Green councillor.
The worst thing was not just the undemocratic arrest of peaceful protesters but the way they also arrested women who are the night stars: they are out every weekend in soho handing out safety stuff like rape alarms but also flip flops, band aids etc and are just there to make sure everyone is safe. They were arrested and held all Saturday. Which given the murders of women by police officers here is also just showing the way the police are actively involved in harm. Real harm. It is terrifying. And all for a vile man, his vile family and some stolen jewels . If we have to see all this again for wank I hope I am not living here
Wow, the police found a way to support an archaic, racist, elitist institution AND endanger women with a single move. Knowing cops, there’s probably a medal for that.
What were they planning to do if a woman used a rape alarm for a genuine emergency during the event? Arrest her, too?
@Mic Wright has been on all the morning TV and radio talk shows covering this. the Night Stars are actually funded by Westminster council &the Met Police, they wear pink high vis vests with this info printed on them.
The official response to the outrage over these arrests is that there was some ‘intelligence’ that protesters were planning to scare the horses and cause panic by setting off the alarms. They got the ‘intelligence’ from a daily mail article the week before- guess where their PR officer worked before joining the Met??
If it looks like a police state and quacks like a police state……..
@lucy Omg I can’t believe it!! What is happening with this country!! It’s terrifying!!
That’s so messed up.
@lucy yep! Mic Wright has all the details. He was waiting at the police station where some of the people had been detained. He’s laid it and is continuing to lay it out straight on social media
About those rape alarms. Someone on Twitter posted that confiscating them was especially dangerous because Andrew would be passing by.
I saw them and I saw Mic Wright’s real live reporting on it. He was ticked. Especially since two Met officers just got charged for rape.
This is not a good omen for KC3’s reign. Protests like these have taken place throughout history at a coronation when the people did not want the king and the fate of the monarchy did not end well. Silencing the protesters BEFORE they begin and arresting them will not make this sentiment go away. It amplifies the cries of the people and sheds light on how the new monarch is the antithesis of magnanimous. Enjoy the euphoria of finally getting that crown Chuck – with your mistress seated next to you – your reign will be plagued with difficulties. You are not your mother and this is not the same England when she was crowned.
Britain is very good at shutting down protests. They have had 200 yrs practice across the world in doing it. It worked..until it didn’t.
It’s almost as though the BRF and their enablers don’t care about anyone who isn’t rich, white, and powerful; and will do anything to quiet those who dare speak up.
Almost, of course.
They arrested and roughed up people who had zero connection to protest or anti-monarchy groups. They arrested volunteers from an official registered charity that actually works with the Met Police, who support woman who work during the early hours to keep them safe, because they were handing out rape alarms at 2am. Some of the charity workers were held in handcuffs for 15 hours, and were visibly bruised and bloodied when released.
All this because of “intelligence” about rape alarms! Anyone planning to use rape alarms would have just ordered them online in advance, not rely on wandering around London at 2am on the off chance they find a charity worker handing them out.
Britain feels like Germany 1935 right now.
It was the Fail on Sunday that ran this rape alarms to disrupt Chubbly on its front page 2 weeks ago based upon “sources”. Pro democracy groups are non violent , no intention to do anything but hold up placards! The Night Stars are volunteers who are supposedly working in partnership with Met to keep women safe at night and it is part of their role to hand out rape alarms! Neither they nor the protestors should have been arrested.
This is where freedom of speech is in countries like Russia also. You are free to speak as long as you suck up to the ones in power.
All so a petulant man child would not be bothered by the peasants who clearly don’t like him. Please Karma do your thing.
“Behold, the magnificence of the new King and Queen!” Seriously, they look like idiots in those crowns.
They can arrest protesters, but they can’t arrest the internet.
I’d go evilly farther and say that for all those jewels and absolutely stunning clothes they also didn’t manage to look handsome, not even a tiny bit. My mum, who’s Italian and visit my family in the UK at present, commented “if Diana was there, she would have looked stunning”. Eh….
It’s even worse – some of the people they arrested were volunteers for the council safety team that were held for hours on “intelligence” that the rape alarms they carried would be used to disrupt the coronation as opposed to, you know, trying to make sure vulnerable or intoxicated people are safe.
It seems to me that they were trying to support law and order, and they were arrested for it! I’d be furious if I were in the U.K.
64 people were arrested: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/may/08/arrests-coronation-protesters-premeditated-republic-chief-police
So even worse.
This is giving North Korea and Russia vibes. Not a good look Chuck. Found this on Twitter that kind of sums it up https://twitter.com/munyachawawa/status/1655531521514655747?t=7QPjC0MMRzCvF7SweQY96A&s=19
That was brilliant.
This is soo good, I’ve watched it too many times 🤣🤣🤣
Thanks for posting that!!
This video is giving me life! 👏👏👏
Excellent.
So much for freedom of speech.
So people started hating the monarchy after Liz died? I don’t remember any anti- monarchy sentiment last year.
Republic has always been around, they’ve just seen an opportunity here (fully supported by me). Similarly, there’s nothing new about Liverpool fans booing the national anthem – they did so at the Carabao Cup final in 2022 and the FA Cup final in 2012. It’s a means of general protest there.
Say what?
Whatever happen to …
Freedom of Speech. Marketplace of Ideas etc
This is what fascism looks like.
So, they were afraid protesters could frighten the horses. Judging by what I saw there were several frightened horses already as they were behaving restlessly and tried to break out because of the noise as they didn’t seem to have any ear protection. One of the white horses pulling the carriage was obviously limping. I’ve even seen vets and rescue animal charity workers commenting on that. But obviously well-being of animals was nothing to worry about. Honestly, I’ve never seen anything as stupid-looking as those two parading around in their capes and crowns that no longer look regal in our time. They just look ridiculous and something that belongs to the past.
This is very poor form, England. Very poor form. Denying people the right to protest peacefully against this archaic, discriminatory, elitist, system and this obscenely expensive ceremony that was totally unnecessary. If Charles wanted this fancy game of musical chairs in a big church, he should have paid for it.
Next week the king is having a new coat of arms printed, it’s new motto will read, Defender of the MET dependant of the tax payer and supporter of the Conservative party. It will have a bear and a sycle on it, along with a star, to signify, his backers. China, Russia and Saudis. Charlie says he’s doing this in honour of those who bought, sorry contribute to his reign
I think there is a long history of clearing out any protesters before a big event.
Nothing new in arresting the poors. Call it security.
Bogus garbage.
I’m always surprised at the people who camp out the nights before, no matter the lousy weather.
Not a chance I’d do it.
I seen man being arrested for “suspicion of possessing eggs.” He either had them, or he didn’t! You better stand up now, or bow down later!
This was disgraceful.
Late-in-the-day ignorant question: Is this law now permanent? As in, not just put in place on a temporary basis for the coronation?
I’ll do the research when I have more time, but if someone has a quick answer, I’ll very much appreciate the information.