People Are Being Arrested in the UK for Protesting Against the Monarchy
vice.com
vice.com
Technically, calling for abolition of the monarchy is illegal in the UK. But, that particular law hasn't been used since the late 1800s. Most of the current arrests are "breach of peace" or similar offenses. If the "offenses" are as-described (saying "who elected him"; holding a sign peacefully), the arrests are, IMO, unjust. The only one I've read about that might be close to just is the man who yelled "you're a dirty old man" at Prince Andrew during a funerary procession. And even that's pretty borderline, IMO.
Very briefly... The government funds their official duties out of general revenue via the Sovereign Grant. The various duchies and other revenue producing properties/investments of the crown fund much of the rest (most of these held in trust for the crown, not the live monarch). And the family itself has vast personal wealth.
Key quote: "Because it's still their land." (1:49 onward) Uh-huh. The real question is, should it be. The video also claims that the only reason historical locations are tourist attractions is because some royal graces them their their presence every now and than, which is just a weird take. I like GCP Grey, but this is one his weakest videos.
They pluralise it to try and make it sound like a large and worrying problem (I think there have been 3 cases). They also imply that somehow protest against the Monarchy is being stamped out when the most obvious and natural explanation is that the Police are using their powers to decide that someone disrupting a public event off the back of millions of people mourning the loss of a much loved Queen is the right thing to do.
Regardless of plenty of criticism, the Police in these scenarios have to decide on the spot, regardless of subtle legal arguments, whether what is happening is likely to cause a breach of the peace or to cause massive offence. There is nothing here that I can see that looks like a "worrying trend" etc.
> [...]Police said the woman had been arrested “in connection with a breach of the peace.” On Monday it was revealed she would face criminal charges, to appear in court at a later date.
How is quietly holding up a small sign "disrupting a public event"? And deserving of being arrested and charged? They have a right to protest[1], more so when it's a quiet, unobstructive protest.
1: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/sep/12/what-is-the-la...
If there was substantial potential for inciting a conflict between large groups of people, sure, this might be breach of peace, but this was a handful of people holding up signs peacefully, in a rather quiet manner.
I will never not be amazed how often the powerful will receive support for free from their subjects.
Not protesting at a funeral, but at the proclamation of a monarch.
You've just described protesting.
The proclamation was on Saturday, so he wasn't at it in terms of time and location.
Protesting against the proclamation is fine, of course. I'd question the judgement of someone doing so at the time and location of an ongoing funeral of that person's mother.
It will take place at 1pm on Sunday September 11 as one of a series of similar events in towns and cities throughout the nation.
https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/21252506.charles-iii-forma...
And Elisabeth Windsor wasn't as respected as you'd like to think. They might have huge fanbase among Daily Mail readers but the royals are not very popular among well informed people.
I'm not going to bring up Andre's tendencies because this seems forbidden on HN, so have a read of this instead:
https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2010/sep/24/queen-poverty-gra...
Maybe the "well informed people" should vote for parties and elect MPs that are republican? All the parties in Westminster are royalists
Got numbers for that?
Let's be honest here: while later in life she did nothing politically too active (i think she took a EU colored dress during Brexit?), Until at least the 90s, between supporting colonialism and the mafia-like comportment of the Royal family (let's not forget her cousins[0]), her reputation wasn't the highest in the world.
And anyway, between republicans and anti-imperialists, it should be difficult to find support. Most of the left (when you exclude tankies at least) is anti-imperialist, and most of the right is republican nowadays, no? At least in France and the US. I admit I missed this news cycle tbh, so I'm not sure.
[0]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nerissa_and_Katherine_Bowes-Ly...