Many people think the monarchy isn't a problem, just a distant bit of pomp and pageantry. Outdated and undemocratic, sure, but just a harmless bit of constitutional dress-ups. But events in Britain are showing it to be anything but. First, there's the intimidating letters police sent to republicans before today's giant monarchical wankfest. And then, there's the pre-emptive arrests:
Police arrested the leader of the anti-monarchy group Republic hours before King Charles' Coronation and a number of other protesters who had gathered among the crowds lining the procession route in central London.If this seems like a headline from Putin's Russia rather than a modern democracy, you'd be right. Because when you scratch the surface, monarchy is just hereditary fascism in fancy dress. Its existence isn't just an affront to modern, democratic values - it is fundamentally toxic to and incompatible with them. And that is why we must abolish it.Republic had earlier said it would mount the biggest protest against a British monarch in modern history. But London police chief Mark Rowley warned on Friday that police would take action if protesters tried to "obstruct the enjoyment and celebration" of people.
Protesters, dressed in yellow t-shirts to make themselves stand out, were demanding an elected head of state and say that the royal family has no place in a modern constitutional democracy and is staggeringly expensive to maintain.
A spokesperson for the group said police had arrested its leader Graham Smith on Saturday morning. A photo posted on Twitter showed Smith sitting on the ground surrounded by police officers.
