Symon Hill said he ‘did not say *anything* remotely disrespectful’
A man was arrested on Sunday after asking “who elected” Charles III as king.
Self-proclaimed “left-wing Christian author and activist” Symon Hill went to his local church in Oxford on Sunday morning, when he learned that there would be a procession starting outside the building in honour of the Queen.
Feeling “sad and angry”, Hill asked how he could get to the other side of the road which was closed off.
The author wrote on his blog: “When I expressed a mild criticism of the royal procession during my question about the road closures, they became defensive and refused to talk with me further.
“Someone who had heard me came over and challenged my views, but the police told us not to talk to each other. I have no idea on what basis the police stop people with different views having a discussion.”
He then stayed for the reading out of the proclamation.
“I remained quiet in the first part of the proclamation, concerning the death of Elizabeth,” he wrote. “Any death is sad and I would not object to people mourning.”
“It was only when they declared Charles to be ‘King Charles III’ that I called out ‘Who elected him?’
“I doubt most of the people in the crowd even heard me. Two or three people near me told me to shut up. I didn’t insult them or attack them personally, but responded by saying that a head of state was being imposed on us without our consent.”
He was then arrested under the Public Order Act for alleged behaviour causing “harassment, alarm or distress”.
In a tweet he wrote that he “did not say *anything* remotely disrespectful” about the Queen’s death and that his objection was “to the proclamation of Charles Windsor as king.”
Contrary to some claims on social media, I did not say *anything* remotely disrespectful today about Elizabeth's death. I did not disrupt an act of mourning (and never would). My objection was to the proclamation of Charles Windsor as king. #NotMyKing
— Symon Hill (@SymonHill) September 11, 2022
There have been a number of incidents of police dealing with anti-monarchist protestors over the last few days.
On Sunday, a 22-year-old woman was arrested outside St Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh on Sunday “in connection with a breach of the peace”.
She was holding up a sign reading ‘F**k imperialism, abolish monarchy’ at the proclamation ceremony for King Charles III, and was later charged.
The sign is not understood to be the reason for her arrest.
At least two arrests were made at the proclamation ceremonies on Sunday, with police also seen moving away a woman holding a placard saying “not my King” near the Houses of Parliament on Monday morning.
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1486118675147408&t=0
The arrests have sparked anger from many, including Andrew Marr. The journalist said he had been “alarmed” by the news of protestors being arrested, and said that he believed Charles III would be equally concerned.
Andrew Marr says he thinks the King would have been "alarmed" at news that anti-monarchist protestors have been arrested. pic.twitter.com/YOyozZqoPd
— PoliticsJOE (@PoliticsJOE_UK) September 12, 2022
Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral is due to take place on September 19. Before this, the late monarch will lie-in-state in Westminster Hall for four days to allow the public to pay their respects.
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