Man runs into Queen Elizabeth’s coffin – arrest
The coffin of Elizabeth II in Westminster Hall, draped in the royal standard
Source: AP/Kirsty Wigglesworth
At the moment, people in London can say goodbye to Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin. There was an incident in Westminster Hall: a man apparently ran towards the coffin and tried to lift the royal standard.
ZIncident at the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II.: On Friday evening, a man was arrested who, according to witnesses, ran in the direction of the coffin in the Westminster Hall of the British Parliament in London. According to media reports, the Metropolitan Police said the man was arrested after a disturbance occurred.
A witness told Sky News that someone pushed her seven-year-old niece out of the way, ran to the coffin and tried to lift the royal standard lying over the coffin. The police seized him “within two seconds”. The live television broadcast was suspended at the time and a view from outside Parliament was shown instead.
The Guardian, citing witnesses, reported that the man jumped out of the line, managed to climb the steps and touched the coffin. The Metropolitan Police said the man had been arrested for breaching the Public Order Act and is currently in custody, according to the British news agency PA. Sky News quoted a Parliament Speaker as saying a waiter from the line had moved towards the scaffolding dubbed the catafalque.
The people of Great Britain have another opportunity this weekend to say goodbye to their monarch with a visit to the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II. The coffin will remain in Westminster Hall until Monday morning, before the state funeral for the Queen, who has reigned for 70 years. Countless people have taken the opportunity to pause at the coffin of Elizabeth II since Wednesday. To do this, they have to queue for hours in a kilometer-long queue along the Thames.
Elizabeth II died on Thursday September 8th at the age of 96 at her Scottish country estate of Balmoral Castle. Her coffin was brought to Scotland’s capital Edinburgh on Sunday and then to London on Tuesday evening. Hundreds of monarchs, heads of state and government from all over the world are expected in London for the state funeral this Monday.