Antimonarchy protesters booed the moment King Charles III was crowned in Westminster Abbey, before launching into a chant of “not my king”.
It comes after a man with an unused megaphone has been arrested in St James’s Park, with police claiming it could “scare the horses”.
Police were seen surrounding a handcuffed anti-monarchy protester at the park in London, with Sky’s Jason Farrell reporting that an officer said he “was in a crowd of monarchists and [the megaphone] could cause them distress”.
It was the latest in a series of arrests in the hours leading up to the King’s coronation, with several human rights organisations accusing officers of being heavy-handed in their approach.
Sky News reporters on the ground say more than a dozen have been arrested – and the Metropolitan Police have confirmed seven arrests so far.
Among those detained are the leader of anti-monarchy group Republic, who was led away in a police van just after 7am as he made his way to a designated protest site, and Just Stop Oil protesters who were arrested on the Mall near Buckingham Palace a short while later over their plans to go over the barrier.
But Just Stop Oil claims they 20 members have been arrested merely for “wearing t-shirts and dispute claims they had planned to jump he barrier.
Footage on Twitter shows a police officer taking the details of Republic CEO Graham Smith.
In the video, one officer can be heard saying: “They are under arrest, end of.”
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Watch as Charles is crowned King
Scotland Yard said four people have been arrested on “suspicion of conspiracy to cause public nuisance”, after they were found with lock-on devices. A further three people were arrested at Wellington Arch and are being “held on suspicion of possessing articles to cause criminal damage”.
A spokeswoman for Just Stop Oil said five demonstrators were also arrested at Downing Street.
She said the group’s plan was “only to display T-shirts and flags”, adding: “This is a dystopian nightmare.”
Onlookers to the arrests at The Mall sang the national anthem as the demonstrators shouted messages about climate change and the right to protest.
Some people approached protesters who were wearing handcuffs and told them to “shut up”, while others heckled the group and laughed at them.
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Anti-monarchy protesters arrested
‘Worrying’ use of new powers
Republic activist Luke Whiting, 26, said the group was arrested as they tried to bring yellow placards to a protest, and questioned if it was because “one of them was carrying a megaphone”.
He told Sky News: “We were very open with police about what we planned to do, which is hold a demonstration in Trafalgar Square.
“It seems [the protesters] have been arrested using this new powers. It’s quite a worrying thing to happen, we were pretty shocked.”
He said the group has been “open” with the police about what they had planned.
“They’ve said it’s perfectly legal for us to bring placards, bring flags and protest the coronation,” he added. “In a democratic society it is absolutely our right to do this and be peaceful and that’s what we are planning to do.”
Arrests have incensed protesters – as police’s threshold for disruption very low
It’s not surprising police already have used their new powers, given recent warnings in media briefings and a Home Office letter to protest groups.
The arrest of Republic supporters followed the alleged discovery, in a van delivering placards, of so-called ‘lock-on devices’.
A lock-on offence – the chaining of protesters to railings or buildings – is one of the new laws the government rushed through days before the coronation.
Sources said the devices were straps for carrying banners and a padlock to be used for locking the van during the day.
The arrest of a man for carrying a megaphone, which apparently could spook the processional horses and which he hadn’t used, particularly incensed protesters.
Police said they would clamp down where protest turned into disruption, but these arrests appear to have breached a very low threshold.
‘Incredibly alarming’
Non-profit campaign group Human Rights Watch said the “incredibly alarming” arrests were “something you would expect to see in Moscow, not London”.
Its UK director Yasmine Ahmed said in a statement: “Peaceful protests allow individuals to hold those in power to account, something the UK government seems increasingly averse to.”
On Wednesday, the Met announced it would have an “extremely low threshold” for protests during the coronation, and demonstrators could expect “swift action”.
The policing operation is set to see 11,500 police officers on duty on Saturday.
Sacha Deshmukh, Amnesty International UK’s chief executive, said the human rights group was concerned about the force’s statements about its “low tolerance” for protests ahead of the arrests.
He said: “We need to see what details emerge around these incidents, but merely being in possession of a megaphone or carrying placards should never be grounds for a police arrest.”
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,” she said.
“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, while two men who appeared to have been part of the same demonstration were carried away by officers into a marked police van.
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Watch anti-monarchy protests
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 no qualification that they have that means they have a divine right to rule.”
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Meet the coronation protesters gathering in central London ahead of the King’s coronation
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 artefacts 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.”
Former anti-corruption minister Tulip Siddiq has been named in a third inquiry being launched by authorities in Bangladesh investigating money laundering and power misuse.
At a media briefing in Dhaka held hours after Ms Siddiq resigned as a minister, investigators confirmed they were working on another probe involving the Labour MP.
It is the third Bangladesh inquiry and comes on top of questions about London properties she lives in or has lived in with links to her aunt, the ousted Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina and her Awami League party.
Director general of the Anti-Corruption Commission Akhtar Hossain told Sky News the organisation was “preparing another investigation against Tulip Siddiq and her uncle Tarique Siddique for money laundering, power misuse, and illegally occupying Bangladesh government property”.
Mr Hossain also said the investigation team in Bangladesh would contact the UK authorities if additional information was required.
A spokesperson for Ms Siddiq said: “No evidence has been presented for these allegations.
“Tulip Siddiq has not been contacted by anyone on the matter and totally denies the claims.”
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Tarique Siddique is Ms Siddiq’s uncle – the husband of her mother’s younger sister – and previously served as a defence and security adviser to her aunt Sheikh Hasina.
The new government has since accused Ms Hasina’s Awami League administration of crimes and corruption while in office.
Ms Siddiq quit as anti-corruption minister on Tuesday after links with her aunt and her political regime came under scrutiny.
It is claimed she has benefited financially from three London properties linked to her aunt and her allies.
She referred herself to the prime minister’s standards adviser Sir Laurie Magnus who said he had “not identified evidence of improprieties” but added it was “regrettable” Ms Siddiq had not been more alert to the “potential reputational risks” of the ties to her aunt.
Ms Siddiq said continuing in her role would be “a distraction” for the government but insisted she had done nothing wrong.
Earlier this week, Sky News revealed Bangladesh investigators were looking into Ms Siddiq as part of a separate corruption inquiry into the illegal allocation of land in a new town development outside of Dhaka.
Labour sources suggested these accusations were not genuine and Ms Siddiq had not been contacted by anyone in Bangladesh about the inquiries.
Nobel peace-prize winning economist Muhammad Yunus, who is leading Bangladesh’s interim government, said the London properties used by Ms Siddiq should be investigated and returned if she is found to have benefited from “plain robbery”.
Following her resignation, Professor Yunus said there will be a thorough investigation into properties and assets “tied to stolen Bangladeshi funds, including those linked to individuals with connections to the previous regime” and if it is proven they have benefited from embezzlement “we expect those assets to be returned to Bangladesh, where they rightfully belong”.
“Tulip Siddiq may not have entirely understood the source of the money and property that she was enjoying in London, but she knows now and should seek forgiveness from the people of Bangladesh,” he added.
Singer Linda Nolan, who rose to fame alongside her sisters in The Nolans, has died after several years of battling cancer.
The Irish star, 65, and her sisters Coleen, Maureen, Bernie, Denise and Anne, had a run of hits in the late 1970s and ’80s – including the disco classic I’m In The Mood For Dancing.
Paying tribute on The Nolans‘ X account, her sisters described her as “a pop icon and beacon of hope”, who “faced incurable cancer with courage, grace and determination, inspiring millions”.
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Linda died peacefully in hospital this morning, “embraced with love and comfort” with her siblings by her side, her agent Dermot McNamara said in a statement.
“As a member of The Nolans, one of the most successful girl groups of all time, Linda achieved global success; becoming the first Irish act to sell over a million records worldwide, touring the world and selling over 30 million records,” he said.
“Her distinctive voice and magnetic stage presence brought joy to fans around the world, securing her place as an icon of British and Irish entertainment.
“Beyond her incredible career, Linda dedicated her life to helping others, helping raise over £20m for numerous charities, including Breast Cancer Now, Irish Cancer Society and Samaritans, amongst countless others. Her selflessness and tireless commitment to making a difference in the lives of others will forever be a cornerstone of her legacy.”
Linda’s death came after she was admitted to hospital with pneumonia over the weekend. She began receiving end-of-life care after slipping into a coma on Tuesday, Mr McNamara said.
Details of a celebration of the star’s “remarkable life” will be shared in due course, he added.
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Linda was born to Tommy and Maureen Nolan in Dublin on 23 February 1959, the sixth of eight children.
Her parents were both singers and keen to turn their young family into a musical troupe. Linda made her stage debut aged just four.
Those early years put the siblings on track for a career in show business which lasted for decades. As well as I’m In The Mood For Dancing, The Nolans had hits with Gotta Pull Myself Together, Attention To Me and Don’t Make Waves, and they also had their own TV specials.
At their height, they toured with Frank Sinatra and were reported to have outsold The Beatles in Japan.
Linda left the group in 1983, but later reformed with her sisters for several comeback performances. She also became known for musical theatre, most notably performing the role of Mrs Johnstone in Blood Brothers for three years from 2000.
Four siblings struck by cancer
Linda was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2006, and underwent a mastectomy to remove her left breast two days before her 47th birthday.
The sisters were diagnosed with different forms of the disease just days apart after they returned home from filming a series of their show, The Nolans Go Cruising. Linda had cancer of the liver, while Anne had breast cancer.
They went on to write Stronger Together, an account of their journey that included frank details of their treatments and the side effects.
But in 2023, Linda revealed the cancer had spread to her brain and she was beginning treatment as part of a new drug trial.
The Nolans lost their second-youngest sister, Bernie, to cancer in 2013, aged 52.
Linda’s husband of 26 years, Brian Hudson, died in 2007 after being diagnosed with skin cancer.
Anne Nolan is now cancer-free.
Tributes to star ‘who was always a joy’
TV star and singer Cheryl Baker and comedian Tommy Cannon are among those who have paid tribute.
“I’m heartbroken to hear about the passing of Linda Nolan,” Cannon wrote on X. “I had the pleasure of working with her on so many occasions, and she was always a joy – full of warmth and love. My thoughts and love are with the Nolan girls and the whole family.”
“The most incredible voice, the wickedest sense of humour, such a massive talent,” Baker wrote. “You’re with Brian now, Lin.”
Loose Women also sent its love to her family. Linda appeared as a guest panellist on the ITV chat show over the years, alongside her sister Coleen.
The Blackpool Grand Theatre described her as “a true Blackpool icon”.
Two teenagers and a woman have been arrested after a 14-year-old boy was stabbed to death on a bus in southeast London.
Kelyan Bokassa was on the 472 service in Woolwich when he was attacked just before 2.30pm on Tuesday 7 January.
The teenager died at the scene shortly after medical help arrived.
Two boys, aged 15 and 16, were arrested on Wednesday on suspicion of murder, and a 44-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender.
Detective Chief Inspector Sarah Lee said: “While these arrests mark a significant step forward in this investigation, we continue to appeal for anyone with information about Kelyan’s murder to come forward and speak to us.
“I would like to thank officers for working around the clock in order to locate our suspects and praise the Woolwich community for their ongoing support and patience whilst we have carried out our investigation.
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“I know that this incident deeply affected you all, and I hope that these two arrests reassure you that we are doing everything to tackle violent offenders across London.”
The Metropolitan Police called the stabbing a “horrific attack”, while London mayor Sir Sadiq Khan said the “heartbreaking violence has absolutely no place in our city”.
Kelyan was an aspiring rapper, who was described as having “briefly” been a student at St Columbia’s Catholic Boys School in Bexleyheath.
Following his death, his mother Mary Bokassa described his troubled childhood to journalists.
She said he was taken into care, moved from school to school, and eventually fell into the clutches of criminal gangs.
Met Police officers were called to reports of a stabbing on a Route 472 bus at 2.28pm on 7 January on Woolwich Church Street, near its junction with the A205 South Circular Road.
Paramedics from the London Ambulance Service and London’s Air Ambulance attended the scene.
Police say Kelyan’s family are being supported by specialist officers as the investigation “remains ongoing”.