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.

So anyone who disagrees with the coronation of Charles should be arrested?

Not really

The monarchy has to change, but the King has time and goodwill on his side - Lord Ashcroft Polls

Only 7% of Brits are Committed Royalists, who are essentially uncritical in their support
One third are Mainstream Monarchists who back the institution but recognise the need to change with the times.
Just under a quarter are Neutral Pragmatists, who lean towards the status quo largely because they think the alternative would be worse.

Nearly one in five are Modern Republicans, who see the monarchy as divisive, worry about its colonial legacy, and tend to side with Harry and Meghan over the rest of the family.
The remaining 18% are Angry Abolitionists, who think the royals care little for the country and believe the institution has no place in the modern world.

So that's about 38% who are Republicans, 40% who are Monarchists and about 25% who are indifferent.

m00rfarm · Today 09:53

It IS possible to dissent without causing obstruction and irritation on a day that is very special to many people. People who have spent time and money traveling to see the event. The right to protest does not come above the right to enjoy. To be honest, I take more notice of people who make a reasoned argument, than someone hysterically waving a large banner shouting at me. I was cross with the Grand National protestors as well. I understand that the protestors at the Coronation had agreed a position to stand, but had already moved away from this position. Perhaps we will get more clarity later”

Is there a “right to enjoy” enshrined in law?

@themessygarden what country? My friends abroad have seen reports about the arrests.

I know plenty of people who are anti monarchy and staunch republicans but they are not out to create disruption or spoil others peoples day

I am shocked. Unbelievable in a so-called democracy that police can arrest people in this way. Our right to protest has been quietly removed, and the general public don't seem to care, or understand why that right is so fundamental to a democracy. We have the right to disagree and to voice those disagreements. For those people saying that they were arrested for their own safety as they might be set upon by other supporters, WTF? isnt that the police's job- To protect people?, and the aggressors should be the ones arrested if they commit a crime of assault, not the victim for protection.
We shouldn't have to go about our lives never giving our opinion in case other people are offended or disagree. This is not China or Russia we are supposed to be a free country.
This is Orwellian and very scary.

I had actually RTFT, but it moved so fast that by the time I typed it moved from page 1 (bold) to page 2 (not). I see I'm not the only one asking.

Yep @rattymol - I’ve had a text from my friend in Sweden about the protestors and the arrests. I guess the heavy handed police can shut up the protestors in Trafalgar Square, but they can’t silence the global media. The optics of this are awful.

In France

Le Monde.fr - Actualités et Infos en France et dans le monde

Why would it ruin someone’s day to witness a protest?
I have to pass religious people shouting loudly with a megaphone. I think what they’re spouting is a load of tosh but it doesn’t ruin my day.

Tory government brought in these crushing anti democracy laws.

Really shocking and frightening.

It's like that man arrested for holding up a blank piece of paper. We all have to support Charles or stay silent.

Its like this Gov are trying to move us towards a one party state 😢

Next they’ll be trying to make it legal to criminalise those trying to escape slavery and ship them off thousands of miles away while demonising lawyers to stand up for their ethical treatment… oh wait …

Who votes for these awful people 😭

I too had a friend contact me from Germany asking about the arrests. It is being reported abroad. I see the poster claiming it is not being reported has not answered my question of which country it is not being reported in.

Mainland Europe, I guess you would see if it you are following online, that is where I saw it and then on here.

However, certainly the national news in this country and the neighbouring countries have not reported it yet.

Let’s round up the dissidents, the tramps and the mad ones before a big visit. You don’t want embarrassment. (Oh, sorry, wrong country.)

FWIW French TV reported some arrests…though from their report it was not clear if the arrests were of anti-monarchists or protesters aligned with extinction rebellion.

Good. They should be arrested. The Coronation isn’t a pro-monarchy protest with the Republican “not my king” people as counter protesters being unlawfully suppressed.

There is no right for them to be there at the coronation and to disrupt it. There is no such right to protest in a way that causes a public order offence.

And it should be applauded that this is being kept as a protest free day especially since the Coronation is a family event with children present. It’s a safeguarding issue if you allow pop up protests around children.

There was. It was agreed with the Police weeks and weeks in advance.

Then they were ambushed and arrested. And that includes Graham Smith of Republic, a very reasonable man who has been interviewed on most of the news channels in the past.

This is the photo I want to go everywhere. First thing this morning, this guy had done nothing. Arrested and put in the back of a police van.

What's happened to free speech?

That’s because the country where it isn’t being reported is Imaginaryland!!

You can leave a message for the king here.

m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid0vcU4ks4F7ZciAoeyfQ8p7HwYiPPyRgbpNaySm9xdCTxdADE9Jufbe2ZciVN25e9Ml&id=125517584784531

I am in Portugal and not seen anything about protests here.

I really hope the monarchy see how little many (most!) people actually care for them as an institution. It's high time.

The Queen was the Queen but she's gone.

We can be arrested for protesting now. Disgraceful. We can't be arrested for actively not engaging with this disingenuous and insidious claptrap.

The problem with this argument is that there is never a good time to protest! They couldn't protest when the Queen had died because she had just died, in a few weeks it will be give him a chance narrative..

Also doesn't the right to enjoy also include those who don't agree with you?

The government are eroding the right to protest and strike for all, its not limited to anything to do with the monarchy. Many hundreds of people are protesting without being arrested though? I think actually the majority of people are either not bothered or are generally supportive, the Internet can be a bit of an echo chamber.