Anti-monarchy demonstrators gather outside Buckingham Palace to protest against royal family
Dozens of anti-monarchy demonstrators gathered in central London on Saturday to demand the abolition of the British monarchy.
Participants in the protest organized by the Republican pressure group marched from Trafalgar Square to Buckingham Palace.
Many wore T-shirts and held signs with slogans such as “abolish the monarchy” and “Not my king.”
London-based Republic member Elizabeth McIntyre voiced her objections: “I really object to the class system in this country. I think it creates a hierarchy that is completely unacceptable.”
“At the top of this hierarchy is an unelected monarchy, which means there is inequality from top to bottom and that must continue.”
Republican leader Graham Smith said the movement was particularly popular with Queen Elizabeth II. He suggested that it gained momentum following Elizabeth’s death.
Mr Smith, 52, said: “We would like everyone outside the palace to make a statement.
“It’s about showing that we are growing and that there is a change in mood. Twenty years ago this was not happening at all, there was a big change in the mood of the people.
“We couldn’t even think of doing something like this in 2022. We didn’t have it, we didn’t have the staff, we didn’t have the money, and now this is the third event we’ve done.”
“We have an impressive list of people coming, people see us, they understand who we are, they listen to what we say and they want to be a part of it.
“The Queen’s death and coronation completely changed everything for us.
“Suddenly we grew, suddenly we went from one staff member to multiple staff members.”
Author Otto English took to the stage in Trafalgar Square and claimed that local elections showed us that democracy was broken.
Mr English told the crowd: “Democracy is broken, local elections have shown us that. I think all the elections we’ve had recently have shown us that.”
“It’s so broken it needs to be fixed, and that goes to the top, and in short, that’s why I’m a republican.”
Patrick Harvie, former co-leader of the Scottish Green Party, said: “9 May is Republic Day and it is an important moment to come together to celebrate and remember the fact that so many people in this country recognize that inherited wealth, power and privilege are wrong.
“A huge number of people know that people deserve the right to elect their own elected head of state. I’ve always believed that, and the Scottish Greens believe that too.”
Former Liberal Democrat minister and Lewes MP Norman Baker said: “You have this overwhelming arrogance that they don’t pay for anything and expect everything to be given to them by the government or someone else.
“Free holiday from one, helicopter ride from another; constant and relentless greed.”
