Amidst a wave of protests, King Charles III has been officially crowned in a Christian coronation ceremony at Westminster Abbey in London, England. The coronation ceremony is steeped in a thousand years of tradition and history but has been adapted to reflect 21st-century Britain. The event marked the religious confirmation of Charles’s accession to the throne after the death of his mother Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022.
Despite the celebratory mood of the occasion, police arrested dozens of protesters using new powers to crack down on direct action groups. Republic, an anti-monarchy movement advocating for an elected head of state, claimed that six of its organizers were detained, while climate activists Just Stop Oil reported that 19 of its members were held.
Before the rainy procession to Westminster Abbey aboard the Diamond Jubilee State Coach, thousands of people turned central London red, white, and blue with a sea of Union Jack flags lining the streets to celebrate the coronation of King Charles III. Although the protesters attempted to mar the event, the day was a significant one in the history of the British monarchy.
