Dozens arrested in Britain during the coronation of Charles III

British police arrested 52 people, including the leader of the anti-monarchist group “Republic”, during the coronation of King Charles III. Law enforcement agencies, in response to harsh criticism in their address, argue that their duty to prevent riots outweighed the right of citizens to protest.

Hundreds of yellow-clad demonstrators gathered on coronation day in a crowd that lined the route of a ceremonial procession in central London to stand out from those dressed in red, white and blue. Anti-monarchy protesters held signs reading “Not my king”.

The anti-monarchist group The Republic said its leader, Graham Smith, was detained before the march even started, and photos were circulated on social media showing police taking away demonstrators’ posters.

“We fully understand the public’s concern over the arrests we made this morning,” London Metropolitan Police Commander Karen Findley said in a statement. “There has been a significant police operation in the last 24 hours after we received information that protesters were determined to disrupt the coronation procession.”

As Reuters reports, The Republic promised to stage the largest protest against a British monarch in modern history, and protesters booed King Charles and Queen Camilla as they made their way to Westminster Abbey and as the service was broadcast publicly on large screens.

“It’s disgusting and over the top,” said Kevin John, 57, a Devon salesman who was among the protesters. “It’s also extremely counterproductive on the part of the police, because all they’ve done is create a huge amount of publicity for us. This is complete madness.”

The police said they acted because they believed the protesters would seek to deface public monuments with paint and disrupt “official events.”

Police said in a separate statement on Saturday that they had arrested three people earlier in the day, based on intelligence that the protesters planned to plant a rape alarm on the procession, which could frighten the horses involved and thereby endanger public safety.

Police added that among the items seized during the arrests in London’s Soho area were several rape alarm devices.

Protests also took place in Glasgow in Scotland and Cardiff in Wales, with participants holding signs reading “Abolish the monarchy, feed the people.” On social media, many compared the UK’s cost-of-living crisis to the pomp and spectacle of a coronation.

While the protesters were outnumbered by the king’s tens of thousands of supporters, polls show that support for the monarchy is declining and is weakest among the youth.

With the crown passed from Queen Elizabeth to her less popular son, Republican activists are hoping that Charles III will be the last British monarch to be crowned.

“He has a hereditary billionaire, born into wealth and privilege, who essentially symbolizes the inequality of wealth and power in our society,” said Clive Lewis, an MP for the opposition Labor Party.

In London, protesters demanded the election of a head of state, arguing that the royal family has no place in a modern constitutional democracy and is staggeringly expensive.

“Don’t you think this is all a bit silly?” one poster said.

Most of the anti-monarchy protesters gathered in Trafalgar Square near the bronze statue of King Charles I, who was beheaded in 1649, leading to a short-lived republic in England.

Since Prince Charles became king last September, there have been protests at royal events. In March, the monarch was attacked at a Commonwealth Day event at Westminster Abbey, and in November he was pelted with eggs in York.

The Queen’s death also rekindled debate in Australia, Jamaica and other parts of the Commonwealth about the need to keep Charles as head of state in these independent countries.

The government of the Australian state of New South Wales said it had decided not to light the Sydney Opera House on the occasion of the coronation in order to save money. Activities in other countries where Charles III is head of state have also been low-key.

While many other European monarchies have come and gone or have been greatly reduced in scope and importance, the British royal family has remained remarkably resilient.

In Britain, polls show that the majority of respondents still support the royal family, but there is a long-term downward trend in support. A YouGov poll last month found that 64% of Britons said they had little or no interest in a coronation. Among those aged 18 to 24, this number has risen to 75%.