Europe 1 with AFP / Photo credits: Will EDWARDS / AFP 18:59 pm, May 06, 2023

On the sidelines of the coronation of Charles III, British police said they had arrested 52 demonstrators. She defended the much-criticized arrests by explaining that she had been informed of plans to disrupt the historic event. At least six anti-monarchy activists have been arrested.

British police said they arrested 52 protesters on Saturday on the sidelines of the coronation of Charles III in London and defended the much-criticized arrests by saying they had been informed of plans to disrupt the historic event. The police arrested dozens of environmentalists who were planning actions on the route of the royal procession but also at least six anti-monarchy activists including the leader of the Republic movement Graham Smith, who had organized a demonstration in Trafalgar Square.

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Persons in police custody for disturbing public order

Saying it had arrested 52 people still in custody for disturbing public order late Saturday afternoon, the Metropolitan Police of London said it had "received information indicating that the demonstrators wanted to disrupt the coronation procession". "This included reports that individuals wanted to try to vandalize monuments with paint, break through barriers and disrupt official travel," Scotland Yard said.

This seems to refer to the type of actions of the environmental movement Just Stop Oil whose activists have been arrested but does not explicitly explain the arrest of anti-monarchists whose "Not my King" signs were seized. That didn't stop hundreds of Republican supporters from demonstrating at the royal procession, a limited but unimaginable presence under Elizabeth II.

More than 11,000 agents deployed

The action of the police, which deployed more than 11,000 officers on Saturday, was criticized by human rights organizations. It comes days after the accelerated enactment of a controversial new law strengthening police powers to counter protests.

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"We have a duty to intervene when protests become criminal and risk causing serious disruption," said Karen Findlay, who coordinated the police operation, quoted in the police statement. "It depends on the context. The coronation is a once-in-a-generation event and is a key part of our assessment," she added.