Coronation of King Charles III: Anti-monarchy protester arrests branded an 'utter disgrace' by Scottish politicians

MPs and MSPs spoke out after images of the coronation arrests were shared on social media

Scottish politicians condemned the Metropolitan Police’s arrest of anti-monarchy protesters ahead of the coronation of King Charles III.

Images of officers arresting demonstrators wearing yellow, and confiscating placards saying “Not My King”, were widely shared on social media on Saturday morning.

Graham Smith, the leader of anti-monarchist campaign group Republic, was among those arrested at a protest in Trafalgar Square. Republic said six demonstrators, including Mr Smith, were stopped while unloading signs near the procession route.

Dundee West SNP MP Chris Law was among those criticising the arrests in London. He wrote: “What an utter disgrace. Arresting peaceful protesters will only backfire and will further the decline of support for the monarchy.”

Former Scottish secretary Alistair Carmichael, the Liberal Democrat MP for Orkney and Shetland, also questioned the arrests. "This is concerning,” he said. “Whatever your view on the monarchy, the right to peaceful protest is essential to our country. I'm certain that the King himself would not want these sorts of actions taken. The Government needs to rethink here.”

Joanna Cherry KC, the Edinburgh South West MP, said: “This is not on. As the Human Rights Committee has repeatedly emphasised, the state has a positive obligation to facilitate the right to peaceful protest. I shall be taking this up in Parliament.”

King Charles III and Queen Camilla are carried in the Diamond Jubilee State Coach in The King's Procession from Buckingham Palace to their coronation ceremony. Picture: Owen Humphreys/PA Wire

Green MSP Ross Greer said: “Solidarity with Graham Smith and team, arrested for exercising a basic democratic right despite having liaised with the police well in advance.”

On Twitter, the Metropolitan Police said thousands of officers were lining the route of the procession. The force also confirmed several arrests were made.

“A significant police operation is under way in central London,” the Met said in a statement. “We have made a number of arrests in the area of Carlton House Terrace.”

"The individuals have been held on suspicion of breaching the peace.” It added: “Earlier today we arrested four people in the area of St Martin’s Lane. They were held on suspicion of conspiracy to cause public nuisance. We seized lock-on devices. A further three people were arrested in the area of Wellington Arch. They were held on suspicion of possessing articles to cause criminal damage.”

In Scotland, several SNP and Green politicians attended a pro-independence rally in Glasgow and an anti-monarchy demonstration in Edinburgh. Scottish Greens co-leader Lorna Slater was among those speaking at the Rally for a Republic on Calton Hill.

The Scottish Government minister said: “The pomp and regalia on display today in London consists not just of literal stolen artefacts, but represents the stolen lives, cultures and communities that the British royal family took from countries around the globe on their imperial quest.”

She added: "You can’t have vast wealth and effective democracy living side by side, because vast wealth gives you the power to distort that democracy, especially when you are the head of state.”

Ms Slater called for Scotland to seize “the exciting opportunity” it has to become an independent republic. In Glasgow, the pro-Yes rally organisers, All Under One Banner, estimated more than 20,000 people took to the streets.

"The desire for self determination is strong, and we will fight for independence until the fight is won,” it said.