People are being arrested for holding up anti-monarchy signs
People have been arrested for holding up signs reading "Not My King' and "f*ck imperialism", whilst another man was cautioned for holding a blank piece of paper.
A number of UK anti-royalists have been arrested in recent days as the police have been seen to crack down on protests following the passing of Queen Elizabeth II.
As King Charles III begins his royal duties as the new monarch, a number of people have been arrested up and down the country for holding up signs or shouting comments critical of the British monarchy.
Over the past few days, several young people have been arrested in Edinburgh, Scotland, where the Queen’s coffin had been lying in rest at St Giles cathedral before she is moved to Westminster Hall in central London.
Arrests have also been made at the opposite end of the country, with footage showing police leading away a protester outside Downing Street in London for holding up a sign that read “Not My King”.
Meanwhile, in Oxford a man was arrested on Sunday for shouting “who elected him?” while walking past a royal event where King Charles III was being ushered in as king during a county proclamation ceremony.
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Symon Hill, 45, said of the incident: “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.”
After his outburst he was led away by police, handcuffed and put in the back of the van. According to Thames Valley Police he was later de-arrested and is now being investigated for a “public order offense.”
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Speaking on what happened after the incident, he wrote: “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.”
Elsewhere, footage emerged on Monday of a man being dragged to the floor by mourners after heckling Prince Andrew as the Queen’s coffin was escorted through Edinburgh.
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After calling the late Monarch’s youngest son a “sick old man”, the 22 year old man can be seen crashing to the floor before being picked up by a police officer and led away as a chant of “God save the King” is quickly started up in the crowd.
Police later said that the man was later arrested for committing a ‘breach of the peace’.
Another video was shared on social media on Monday showing an anti-royalist being cautioned by a police officer for holding up a blank piece of paper.
As well as tweeting about the experience, Paul Powlesland, 36, filmed the officer asking for his details and saying that he needs to “check and make sure you can be here.”
Paul, a barrister and nature rights activist, says to the officer “I was holding up a blank sign, why are you asking for my details?”
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The officer replied, “Because you said you were going to write stuff on it, that might offend people about the King”
Just went to Parliament Square & held up a blank piece of paper. Officer came & asked for my details. He confirmed that if I wrote “Not My King” on it, he would arrest me under the Public Order Act because someone might be offended.
According to the legal index In Brief, a breach of the peace is used to prevent “unlawful violence against people or property”
The site says that “an arrest for an anticipated breach of the peace will only be lawful if the threat of the breach is imminent”,
Graham Smith, from the pressure group Republic, said: “This is absolutely the time to talk about the future of the monarchy because we have a new monarch. Charles has become King without consent, without discussion or debate. It has just happened automatically and there is no effort to have a serious debate about that, and that is completely wrong.
“The arrests of protesters over the past 24 hours have been absolutely appalling. The police should be ashamed of themselves.”
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People are being arrested for expressing their opposition to unelected, hereditary power.
If this was happening in Russia, the Government would be denouncing it on the international stage.
Instead, they're pushing ahead with further legislation to curb our right to protest.
I'm deeply concerned by reports that people are being arrested for expressing their views in support of a Republic. In a democracy, people must always have the right to peacefully express their opinions. I will be seeking to raise this in Parliament when it resumes next week.
Richard Burgon, Labour MP for Leeds East, said: “I’m deeply concerned by reports that people are being arrested for expressing their views in support of a Republic.
“In a democracy, people must always have the right to peacefully express their opinions. I will be seeking to raise this in Parliament when it resumes next week.”
Feature image – UK Fact Check Politics
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Even more of the Gay Village will be turned into outdoor seating this summer
Daisy Jackson
The Gay Village is set to get even more outdoor seating this summer, with the council moving to partially close several key streets to traffic.
The news lands mid-heatwave when thousands of Mancs are clamouring for a seat in the nearest beer garden or cafe terrace – with a huge proportion of those flocking to Canal Street.
Now, plans have been revealed to bring ‘a touch of cafe culture’ to the Gay Village, with even more outdoor seating space created for businesses in the area.
Initially running as a trial this summer, it will mean new terraces for New York New York, The Goose and The Eagle on Bloom Street, plus more locations on Richmond Street.
Manchester City Council has said that similar schemes on Thomas Street and Stevenson Square have been hugely popular with both punters and businesses, especially during the summer months, and can give local operators a huge boost.
So now it’s time for this thriving corner of the city to get the same treatment, as part of the ongoing work through the Gay Village Action Plan identified the need for more outdoor seating areas.
The two locations which will have the changes will be Bloom Street, between Abingdon Street and Chorlton Street; and Richmond Street, between Sackville Street and Chorlton Street.
In order to put these protected spaces into effect, some changes to the existing road network will be made:
Bloom Street becomes one-way from Chorlton Street towards Princess Street
Richmond Street is closed to through traffic between Chorlton Street and Sackville Street.
The scheme will initially run on a trial basis from 10 July throughout the summer to evaluate if it could be a viable long-term solution.
During this, plans will also be in place to ensure that deliveries and loading can go about unhindered, as well as daily waste collection and access for residents.
Councillor Mandie Shilton Godwin, Executive Member for Clean Air, Environment and Transport, said: “The Gay Village is one of our most precious communities. For decades the queer community has been able to call this neighbourhood its own, establishing a long and proud place in the history of the fight against bigotry and discrimination.
“Needless to say, it’s one of the most-visited places in Manchester and sees thousands of people tread its cobbled streets every year. Because of that we’re always looking at how we, as its custodians, can continue to support its legacy and ensure that it meets the needs of people who live and work there.
“We’re excited to be trialling additional outdoor seating for these streets, and we hope to bring the same success that we’ve seen in the Northern Quarter after putting similar schemes in place.
“But, above all this has to work for everyone, so I would urge people to take part in this consultation and help shape the future of the Gay Village.”
Fire service urges Greater Manchester public to ‘act responsibly’ as heatwave continues
Emily Sergeant
People across Greater Manchester and beyond are being urged by the fire service to ‘act responsibly’ as the heatwave continues this week.
Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) has issued an urgent plea residents and visitors to take extra care on moorland and in rural areas as part of the annual ‘Be Moor Aware’ campaign – which is aimed at preventing wildfires and reducing the impact they have.
GMFRS has issued the plea alongside its partners at United Utilities, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), neighbouring fire and rescue services, and local councils.
It comes as Amber Extreme Heat warnings and heat-health alerts have been issued by the Met Office and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) through to Thursday this week – with temperatures widely exceeding 35°C nationwide, and in some areas – particularly on the south coast – potentially even reaching 38°C.
Heatwave conditions in the UK are met when a location records a period of at least three consecutive days with temperature values meeting or exceeding the heatwave temperature threshold for that location.
The fire service urges the Greater Manchester public to ‘act responsibly’ as the heatwave continues / Credit: Mick Garrett (via Geograph)
It does seem, however, that northern parts of the country – especially the North West – are missing most of the extremely hot conditions, with current forecasts indicating peak temperatures of 33°C.
But this doesn’t stop the wildfire risk, and the fire service is warning that prolonged periods of dryness but the countryside in danger.
GMFRS data shows there have been 83 wildfires across Greater Manchester since 2021, including a significant rise in 2025, when 38 incidents were record, and there has already been six wildfires recorded in 2026.
“Wildfires can spread rapidly, especially during warm and dry weather, putting lives, wildlife and property at risk,” explained GMFRS Wildfire Lead, Adrian Taylor.
“Many of these fires are preventable, and we’re asking everyone to take responsibility when visiting our moorland areas. Small actions, such as not using disposable barbecues and taking litter home, can make a huge difference in preventing devastating fires.”
Georgina Pellant -
13th September 2022 
