King Charles III coronation: Cops arrest 52 including anti-monarchist group leader

The British police on Saturday (May 6) arrested 52 people including Graham Smith, the leader of the anti-monarchy group Republic at King Charles III's coronation, according to a report by the news agency Reuters early Sunday. On Saturday, hundreds of yellow-clad demonstrators gathered among the crowds lining the procession route in central London to hold up signs saying "Not My King".

Republic said that its leader Smith was detained before the procession began and images circulated on social media showing police officers seizing demonstrators' placards.

The anti-monarchy group had vowed to mount the biggest protest against a British monarch in modern history and protesters booed as King Charles and Queen Camilla made their way to Westminster Abbey.

Add WION as a Preferred Source

ALSO READ | From India's Narender Modi to China's Xi Jinping: World leaders congratulate King Charles on his coronation

In a statement, Commander Karen Findlay of the London Metropolitan Police said, "We absolutely understand public concern following the arrests we made this morning. Over the past 24 hours there has been a significant police operation after we received information protesters were determined to disrupt the Coronation procession."

The police did not confirm Graham Smith's arrest and said they took action as they believed protesters would seek to deface public monuments with paint and disrupt "official movements". "All of these people remain in custody," Commander Findlay said on Saturday.

In a separate statement, police said that three people were arrested earlier on Saturday based on intelligence that protesters were planning to throw rape alarms at the procession which could have scared the horses involved (in the procession) and thereby caused a risk to public safety.

Even though protesters were very less compared to the tens of thousands of people gathered on Saturday to support King Charles III, polls suggested support for the monarchy was declining and was weakest among young people.

A poll by YouGov in April found 64% of people in Britain said they had little or no interest in the coronation.Reuters reported that in London, protesters demanded an elected head of state, saying that the royal family had no place in a modern constitutional democracy and was staggeringly expensive.

Since Charles became King in September after the death of his mother Queen Elizabeth, there have been protests at royal events. Following the queen's death, a debate reignited in Australia, Jamaica and other parts of the Commonwealth over the need to retain Charles as their head of state.

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.