Arrested for holding a banner - can't ruin a big day, can we...

[cakeorwine]

'Not My King' protesters unfurl flags and shout anti-monarchy slogans on Coronation route | Daily Mail Online

Looks like the police are taking full advantage of their new powers.

If I had a pound for every time I've read "Jumping the barriers"... Let's hope that none of the ardent Royalists get overexcited and try to do the same then. Or are horses only spooked by people who aren't festooned in Union Jacks/Flags?

Yep. This is why we're in the mess we're in. People happy to have their freedom of speech eroded.

I'm surprised the old bill isn't knocking at my door now, thought police and all that. I'm guilty Guv.

If horses spooked easily at normal crowds all the riders would be on the floor. But they won't be used to megaphones/people jumping the barrier/throwing things etc.

@Prescottdanni123 they will be, because that is what they are trained for.

And in a democratic society we do not arrest people for things they have not yet done.

I wish I was allowed to say what I would like to say about the intellect, morality and comprehension of some people on this thread.

It's almost impressive to see just how many excuses people can scrape together for the police abusing their powers.

@Prescottdanni123 do you know anything about horses, or police horses that are trained to behave even in riots

Horses aren’t cats. Cats spook easily. Trained horses do not.

@Whaeanui I think it's pretty safe to assume that @Prescottdanni123 knows absolutely nothing about police and military horse training.

@pointythings

You are the one who has ignored all of the cases mentioned where trained horses have spooked. There have been many royal occasions where the horses haven't spooked at the normal crowd. But these occasions haven't included megaphones or people jumping the barrier so the police took action to stop these things happening because they weren't sure how the horses would respond. Although it is also highly likely that the police were worried about how 'peaceful' protestors with a megaphone and a plan to climb the barrier were actually going to be.

Or maybe they weren't planning on climbing the barrier but police couldn't take that risk.

Hear hear! And most of it involves horses.

But I am completely floored here. Not it isn't a parody account. This is the first time ever I have agreed with Julia Hartley Brewer ... her tweet

·"Whether you love the monarchy or you want an elected head of state, we should all support fundamental democratic rights, including the right to peaceful protest. Holding up #NotMyKing signs isn't a threat to anyone."

It comes to something when JHB says this.

Again. Do you know anything about horses or how they are trained for police work? A simple yes or no. I can guess but…

@MintJulia - how can you possibly know that the majority are in favour of this arcane institution? We’re not allowed free debate and the monarchy and politicians constantly run scared of any vote on the matter.

I don’t know one person in favour of the monarchy in its current form. I think those in favour are fewer than you think and after today’s extravagant spectacle and shutting down of free speech there will be even fewer supporters.

The police then can't take the chance that Pro Monarchy members of the public who support the King may become overwhelmed and overexcited and try to climb the barriers which could spook the horses. It's not uncommon in high profile events. Best round them all up then or send them home.

I absolutely have acknowledged that even highly trained horses can spook. Read back again and you'll see it.

You're the one who has failed to acknowledge 1) that these horses are very highly trained and that their training includes shouting, screaming, having things thrown at them and having things waved at them, and 2) that these horses are just as likely to spook at things like a large union flag waved by an enthusiastic Royalist, therefore the risk is there no matter what.

You are also the one who, by your own logic, thinks that protests shouldn't be allowed because of things that might happen.

@Whaeanui

I'm just trying to explain why police arrested people. If a horse did spook(as trained horses can) and it was due to the megaphone or due to people climbing the barrier, its the police that would get into trouble for not taking action when they had the chance. Like I said, they are stuck between a rock and a hard place.

@Roussette I'm also shocked to find myself in agreement with JHB!

Nonsense. You're an apologist for abuse of power.

@pointythings

No I absolutely do think that peaceful protests should be allowed to happen. Read back again and you'll see it. But protests should not include actions that increase the risk to humans and animals.

One slipped through ...she nicked your crown and your husband. RIP

You say this as if you know though. There were no horses nearby when the first arrests happened this morning and there were no megaphones. But aside from that, you seem unaware of how these horses are trained to deal with that. Even farm horses aren’t as jumpy as you think, but police horses are trained for riots where megaphones and more are present. Your explanation doesn’t make sense to anyone with knowledge of horses.

Anyone supporting this protesters being arrested hasn’t quite understood what it means . A country where you cannot protest against those in power is called a dictatorship . Putin comes to mind

Here we go

https://twitter.com/RepublicStaff/status/1654806381537402880

Not causing anyone any harm, not blocking anyone's view, not spooking those delicate horses with megaphones. I am glad they were able to protest somewhere, even if not in Trafalgar Sq which was agreed by the police.

You contradict yourself. No protest that meets those conditions can happen.

You are also STILL refusing to acknowledge the very real possibility that one of your precious horses might spook at an enthusiastic Royalist (who may wave a banner, or even climb the fence in their enthusiasm). You clearly believe it's one law for Royalist and another for those who oppose the monarchy. Double standards.

But that isn't why the police arrested people. You have no evidence at all for that, you've just decided that why. Why are you so convinced about it? It's bizarre.

No one spoked a horse, tried to spook a horse, said they were planning to spook a horse, no one climbed a barrier, tried to climb a barrier, said they were planning to climb a barrier. And even if someone did one of those things (which just to be clear they did not), how are you so sure that it'd be the anti royalists doing it, not the pro royalists? How would you or anyone know the horses would be fine with the pro people but freaked out by the anti people?

There are thousands of protestors being kettled in Pall Mall but in great spirits despite the pouring rain.

https://twitter.com/RepublicStaff/status/1654806381537402880

@Whaeanui

The protestors aren't police though. Would they have used the megaphone sensibily or would they have angrily screamed down it? What if they had indeed climbed the barrier as the horses and King were going past and caused chaos? They would have got in trouble then for not acting sooner.