Anti-monarchists should leave UK, says Lee Anderson

Anti-monarchists should leave the UK, Lee Anderson said on Saturday in the wake of protests against the Coronation.

The deputy chairman of the Conservative Party made the remarks after dozens of arrests were made by the Met Police for offences including affray, breach of the peace and conspiracy to cause a public nuisance.

Pressure group Republic said Graham Smith, its chief executive, had been arrested along with five members of his team, adding that “hundreds of placards were seized”.

Responding to pictures of the group’s activists holding the “Not My King” placards, Mr Anderson tweeted: “‘Not My King?’ If you do not wish to live in a country that has a monarchy, the solution is not to turn up with your silly boards. The solution is to emigrate.”

Alison Thewliss, the SNP MP for Glasgow Central, said in response to his comments: “It’s a deal.” Earlier in the day, she had retweeted Republic’s calls to abolish the monarchy.

On Saturday evening, the Metropolitan Police issued a statement confirming a total of 52 arrests had been made throughout the Coronation day.

“We absolutely understand public concern following the arrests we made this morning,” said Commander Karen Findlay, who led the policing operation.

“Protest is lawful and it can be disruptive. We also have a duty to intervene when protest becomes criminal and may cause serious disruption.”

Suella Braverman, the Home Secretary, said she was “incredibly grateful” to the police for ensuring the day passed without incident.

“It was a magnificent procession and ceremony enjoyed by tens of thousands of people,” Mrs Braverman wrote. “What a great tribute to our country and monarchy!”

‘Harmless protest’

Jess Phillips, a shadow Home Office minister, appeared to criticise police, tweeting: “Our nation and our King is not so fragile as to not be able to take harmless protest of a different view.”

Her comments were echoed by Sir Chris Bryant, the Labour MP for the Rhondda, who added: “Freedom of speech is the silver thread that runs through a parliamentary constitutional monarchy.”

Last month, police intervened to stop Just Stop Oil protesters blocking roads in central London after pressure from Mr Anderson.

He had criticised Sir Mark Rowley, the Met Commissioner, for arguing that officers could not move “slow marchers” out of the road because the law permits some amount of disruption during protests.

Mr Anderson told Sir Mark: “We’ve seen protesters once again in Parliament Square setting up some sort of Glastonbury-on-Thames gazebo with some pretty poor artists, if my memory serves me right.

“Don’t you think it’s time you left the ivory tower and got out there on Whitehall and sorted these people out?”

Mr Anderson has previously suggested issuing minimum fines of £10,000 to Just Stop Oil campaigners if they are caught blocking roads or damaging property.