Protests rock King Charles III coronation

In a powerful display of dissent, anti-monarchy protesters took to the streets of central London today, just hours before the highly anticipated coronation of King Charles III.

Reports indicate that activists from the group Republic staged a march along the planned route of the royal procession, with hundreds of demonstrators expected to gather for a rally in Trafalgar Square.

Chanting slogans such as “Not My King,” the protesters aimed to voice their opposition to the monarchy as the royal procession made its way through London.

Clad in yellow T-shirts emblazoned with the words “Not My King,” the activists were met with a strong police presence. Some of the demonstrators were arrested, including Republic CEO Graham Smith, as captured in video footage shared on Twitter. The reasons for the arrests remain unclear, although it is speculated that one of the protesters may have been carrying a megaphone, which could have triggered the police action.

Luke Whiting, a 26-year-old Republic activist, expressed his concern about the arrests.

The organisers of the #notmyking protest have been arrested – police won’t say what for pic.twitter.com/qu5JgNhCgF

— Alliance of European Republican Movements (@AERMorg) May 6, 2023

He told the PA news agency,

“Six Republic members have been arrested, including the CEO, as the demonstration was starting at the edge of Trafalgar Square. It is unclear why, potentially it is because one of them was carrying a megaphone. It is unclear exactly whether the police are using these new powers and whether they are misusing them to stop protest happening.”

Social media posts by activist Shelly Asquith shed light on the events, with pictures showing demonstrators being questioned by police officers. Asquith expressed her outrage, stating,

“Outrageous scenes of cops arresting anti-monarchy protestors and stealing their placards. So we are not allowed to show public opposition to a bloke being crowned head of state for having been born into unimaginable wealth while people line up at food banks and schools fall apart.”

The Metropolitan Police had previously warned demonstrators that any disruption would be dealt with swiftly, emphasizing an “extremely low threshold” for tolerance. Offenders were informed that they would face immediate and decisive action.

This comes in the wake of recent disruptions caused by protests organized by groups like Just Stop Oil and animal-rights activists, who had targeted central London and the Grand National, causing widespread inconvenience and disturbance.

As the coronation of King Charles III draws nearer, tensions continue to rise in London. While monarchists eagerly anticipate the historic event, anti-monarchy activists are determined to make their voices heard, demanding a re-evaluation of the role of the monarchy in modern society.

With the situation evolving rapidly, all eyes remain on the ongoing protests and the response from authorities, as the city grapples with a deeply divided public opinion regarding the monarchy and its future.