The leader of an anti-monarchy group is among six people who have been arrested on their way to a protest site ahead of the King’s coronation.
The group from Republic were making their way to the designated protest site at Trafalgar Square.
Republic campaign for an elected head of state to replace the monarch and their CEO Graham Smith is among those being held, a fellow supporter has said. Footage on Twitter shows his details being taken by a police officer.
In the video, one officer can be heard saying: “They are under arrest, end of.”
The police declined to say what the protesters were being arrested for.
Sky News understands that six people, including Mr Smith, have been arrested.
Republic activist Luke Whiting, 26, said: “Six Republic members have been arrested including the CEO as the demonstration was starting at the edge of Trafalgar Square.
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“It is unclear why, potentially it is because one of them was carrying a megaphone.
“It is unclear exactly whether the police are using these new powers and whether they are misusing them to stop protest happening.”
Scotland Yard has been contacted for comment.
On Wednesday, the Metropolitan Police announced they would have an “extremely low threshold” for protests during the coronation celebrations, and that demonstrators could expect “swift action”.
Police ‘found evidence of locking on’
One woman in a Republic T-shirt who was arrested said the group had been questioned about how they got through road closures.
“We had a delivery of placards ready for the protest and then the tactical support unit questioned us as to how we had got through the road closures.
“They questioned whether what we were doing was a delivery.
“They then said they found evidence of means of locking on, of items that could be used to lock on, and they arrested us.”
Officers carried her away from where she had been standing outside a Tesco store.
Two men who appeared to have been part of the same demonstration were carried away by officers into a marked police van.
The policing operation is set to see 11,500 police officers on duty on Saturday.
Why protesters have taken to the streets
Campaigners from two anti-monarchy groups have been speaking to Sky News this morning, ahead of the coronation ceremony, about why they have taken to the streets.
“I don’t believe that power should pass from one nepotism baby to the next,” said Imogen McBeath from No More Royals.
“There is not qualification that they have that means they have a divine right to rule.”
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When questioned about the King’s attempts to slim down the monarchy, she replied: “If they wanted to make an effort they would recognise where their wealth comes from – which is colonisation.
“They would give back jewels and artifacts that they have stolen.”
Luke Whiting from Republic added: “It’s an incredibly expensive coronation process, up to a quarter of a billion pounds in the middle of a cost of living crisis. I think people have really been shocked by that.”
