Highlights: Dozens of arrests of anti-monarchy and environmental activists marred a historic day for the United Kingdom. Police had warned they would have a "lower" tolerance for attempts to disrupt King Charles III's coronation. Police arrested "six of our organizers and seized hundreds of placards" with the slogan "Not my King," a spokesman for the Republic group said. The environmental group Just Stop Oil also said that 19 of its activists had been arrested near the route planned for the procession.

Human Rights Watch denounced Saturday, May 6, as "incredibly worrying" the arrests made by the London police ahead of the coronation of Charles III, including six anti-monarchy activists.

Dozens of arrests on the sidelines of the coronation of Charles III

Anti-monarchy activists demonstrate in London near the route of the procession for the coronation of Charles III, Saturday, May 6, 2023. AP - Scot Garfitt

Text by: RFI Follow

2 min

Human Rights Watch denounced Saturday, May 6, as "incredibly worrying" the arrests made by the London police ahead of the coronation of Charles III, including six anti-monarchy activists.

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Police had warned they would have a "lower" tolerance for attempts to disrupt King Charles III's coronation. Dozens of arrests of anti-monarchy and environmental activists marred a historic day for the United Kingdom, which had not seen a coronation since that of Elizabeth II in 1953.

Police arrested "six of our organizers and seized hundreds of placards" with the slogan "Not my King," a spokesman for the Republic group told AFP, hundreds of supporters of whom gathered early Saturday morning in Trafalgar Square, on the route of the procession. Republic chairman Graham Smith was among those arrested, the group said. A photo posted on Twitter shows him sitting on the floor. "Free Graham Smith," protesters shouted at the scene, an AFP journalist said.

Organisers of the #NotMyKing protest have been arrested - police won't say what for https://t.co/D3Io5Nha4x

— Republic (@RepublicStaff) May 6, 2023

"Abolish the Monarchy"

Around hundreds of activists, carrying signs reading "Citizens not Subjects" or "Abolish the Monarchy", half-amused, half-stunned royalty defenders responded with a "God save the King".

Anti-monarchist demonstration near Trafalgar Square.
🇬🇧 #Coronation
Dr. Rebecca Steinfeld works for a health association. pic.twitter.com/w8sCHj1tdo

— RFI (@RFI) May 6, 2023

The environmental group Just Stop Oil also said that 19 of its activists had been arrested near the route planned for the procession. The group had planned to demonstrate on the occasion of the coronation to oppose the exploitation of hydrocarbons in the country. The authorities "repress our legitimate right to protest," but "we will continue to do everything possible without violence to get out of oil and gas," the group said in a statement sent to AFP.

London police confirmed seven arrests of people "suspected of various offences, including disturbing the peace and conspiracy to breach public order in the vicinity of the coronation".

The NGO Human Rights Watch denounced these arrests. "Reports of people being arrested for peacefully protesting the coronation are incredibly worrying. This is something you expect to see in Moscow, not London," the organization's head in the UK, Yasmine Ahmed, said in a statement.

Inaudible under the reign of Elizabeth II, who died last September, the republican movement intends to take advantage of the lower popularity of Charles III to make its voice heard. According to a recent YouGov poll, the majority of Britons (58%) are still in favour of maintaining the monarchy, but this feeling is declining among young people. Only 32% of 18-24 year olds are in favour against 38% who want an elected head of state (and 30% have no opinion).

Dozens of arrests on the sidelines of the coronation of Charles III

Dozens of arrests on the sidelines of the coronation of Charles III

"Abolish the Monarchy"

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