An unidentified man who unfurled an 'Abdicate' flag has been apprehended by law enforcement in London just before King Charles is formally crowned at Westminster Abbey.
- May 6, 2023
AceShowbiz - An anti-monarchy protester has been apprehended in London. The man was discovered to be carrying a suspected "pointed or bladed article" after he was arrested and led away by police on The Mall.
"A man, aged in his 70s, was arrested on The Mall this afternoon on suspicion of possession of a pointed or bladed article. He was taken into custody where he remains," a spokeswoman for the Metropolitan Police told MailOnline.
The suspect reportedly unfurled a flag which read "Abdicate Ma'am," which is thought to have been a reference to Queen Elizabeth, who died in September, aged 96. The man - who was seen wearing a red baseball cap and a white shirt - was arrested by police officers at around 1.45 PM on Friday, May 5.
The protester was spotted walking around The Mall - where hundreds of people have already gathered ahead of King Charles' coronation on Saturday - before his arrest.
Earlier this week, a man was arrested outside Buckingham Palace after throwing suspected shotgun cartridges into the grounds of the royal residence. Metropolitan Police confirmed that a controlled explosion was carried out outside Buckingham Palace after the man was arrested on suspicion of possessing an offensive weapon at around 7 PM on Tuesday.
Joseph McDonald, the chief superintendent of the Metropolitan Police, said in a statement at the time, "Officers worked immediately to detain the man and he has been taken into police custody. There have been no reports of any shots fired, or any injuries to officers or members of the public. Officers remain at the scene and further enquiries are ongoing."
The objects that were thrown into the palace grounds were quickly removed by police officers.
