[ad_1]
LONDON (AP) — In a country known for its disrespect, some fear a new code of silence has taken hold.
Since the death of Queen Elizabeth II, a handful of people in Britain have been detained by police for expressing (often outspoken) views against the monarchy.
A woman in Edinburgh has been accused of breaking the peace while holding a sign reading “F – imperialism, abolish the monarchy”.
A man faces the same charges after he confronted Prince Andrew as the Queen’s hearse passed through the Scottish capital.
In Oxford, peace activist Simon Hill was handcuffed after speaking out against him at a ceremony to announce the new king.
Hill said he couldn’t help shouting, “Who elected him?” because he opposed imposing a head of state on the country.
“I suspect most of the crowd even heard me,” he wrote on his blog.
“Two or three people around me told me to shut up.”
Hill said he was taken into a police van by officers, who told him he was in custody on suspicion of conduct that could cause “harassment, panic or distress.”
He was later released but could still face questions.
“The police abused their power to arrest some moderately opposed to the undemocratic appointment of the head of state,” he said.
In London, a woman holding a “Not my king” sign was removed from the door of parliament. She was taken away from the scene, where a policeman was stabbed to death by an Islamist attacker in 2017, to allow vehicles to enter, and was not asked to leave the wider area, police said.
Barrister Paul Powersland said he was questioned by police outside parliament on Monday holding a blank sheet of paper on which he also planned to write “Not my king”.
Follow Gleaner on Twitter and Instagram @JamaicaGleaner and Facebook @GleanerJamaica.Message us on WhatsApp at 1-876-499-0169 or email us at Feedback online@gleanerjm.com or Edit @gleanerjm.com.
[ad_2]
Source link