Six anti-monarchy protestors, including the head of the anti-monarchist campaign group Republic, were arrested Saturday morning as they unfurled banners and placards at a protest in Trafalgar Square. Footage showed protesters bearing the slogan “Not My King” being detained, including Graham Smith, chief executive of Republic. The group posted photos of officers taking details from them on Twitter. “So much for the right to peaceful protest,” the group said. New legislation passed this week made it illegal to prepare to “lock-on” to things like street furniture and arrested Republic member Matt Turnbull suggested the straps holding the placards had been “misconstrued” as something that could be used for locking on. “To be honest we were never going to be allowed to be a visible force here. They knew we were coming, and they were going to find a way to stop this,” Turnbull told the BBC.
