In an apparent reaction to the controversy, the National Council of Police Chiefs said it issued advice to forces on Tuesday. A spokesman said: “We know that some people want to protest about a range of issues during this period of national mourning and officers need to balance those rights with those who wish to grieve and reflect. We have issued guidance to forces on how they should do this in order to ensure a national consistency of approach.” Civil liberties groups and MPs also expressed concern as activists gathered on Tuesday opposite Edinburgh Cathedral, where the Queen’s coffin lay, holding white sheets of paper, a white banner and saying they were defending their “right to protest”. . Scotland Yard was asked on Monday night to issue a statement saying it was “making it clear to officers that the public have every right to protest” after a lawyer and campaigner tweeted video of him being threatened with arrest in Westminster’s Parliament Square if he kept a notice that said, “Not my king.” Quan Nguyen, who was among civil liberties activists who gathered opposite Edinburgh’s St Giles Cathedral, said: “We are here because people have been arrested or threatened with arrest for holding anti-monarchy signs. If we did it now, the police would take us away, which is why our license plates are now empty.” “I’m not against the Queen, but we should be allowed to ask questions at the moment, about whether we still need the same type of monarchy, about the cost of living crisis, about nationalism.” The group, who described themselves as concerned friends, were joined by passers-by. Alison told the Guardian: “This is a very busy Edinburgh road where people are trying to get to work or childcare but they are blocked. This is a public space and we have as much right to be here as people who attend ceremonies for the Queen.” “Not my king”: anti-monarchy protesters threatened with arrest – video report Separately, a 22-year-old man who was arrested in Edinburgh on Monday afternoon after shouting abuse at Prince Andrew – referring to allegations relating to the prince’s friendship with convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein – during the Queen’s coffin procession has been charged with breach of the peace . Two other people were charged with breach of the peace in connection with the march in Scotland, a woman holding an anti-monarchy placard reading “gamma imperialism” and a 38-year-old man in Aberdeen. Joanna Cherry, a barrister and Scottish National Party MP, became the latest to express alarm over the handling of the protests, writing on Twitter: “I am concerned about reports in Scotland and England of arrests of apparently legitimate protesters.” “While many may question whether this is the right time for such protests, the right to protest is fundamental to our democracy and should be facilitated.” Campaign group Republic meanwhile condemned the arrests of anti-monarchy protesters in recent days, with particular reference to a man arrested in Oxford during an event to announce the new King, where he had shouted: “Who elected him? “, and was then released. “Freedom of speech is fundamental to any democracy. At a time when the media is full of fawning over a king appointed without debate or consent, it’s all the more important,” said Graham Smith, spokesman for Republic. “We will be writing to police forces across the country expressing these concerns. We intend to stage protests during the coronation and will expect these protests to be allowed to proceed peacefully.” and tributes to the late Queen near Buckingham Palace have been criticized for any protests in the current period. “It’s just not the time,” said Ian Riley, a veteran of the Parachute Regiment who had come from Twickenham with his wife, Jean. “We are in a period of national mourning and this for me is not the right time for protests against the monarchy.” Jean, a retired NHS administrator, added: “We heard about what happened in a few places and to be honest we feel it was crushing a family’s grief. They are in the public eye and should have some time and space.”
