Edinburgh crime: Protesters at Queen's cortege and King Charles III's proclamation in Edinburgh to escape prosecution

Protesters who held banners and shouted during Queen’s cortege in Edinburgh to escape prosecution

Two anti-monarchy protesters arrested for demonstrating against the Royal Family as the country mourned the passing of the Queen are to escape prosecution, the Crown has confirmed.

A 22-year-old woman displayed an offensive placard emblazoned with words “F*** Imperialism - Abolish Monarchy“ ahead of the accession proclamation of King Charles III in Edinburgh on September 11. The Edinburgh University student was arrested outside the city’s St Giles’ Cathedral in connection with an alleged breach of the peace and was released to appear at court at a later date. Following her arrest, the woman - a member of the left wing campaign group Global Majority Vs - was reported to have told media: “I was wrongfully arrested while exercising my right to protest. Holding a sign, I condemned the centuries of colonial injustice, genocide, and unlawful extraction that have been - and continue to be - carried out in the name of the British Crown.”

A 22-year-old man was then arrested the following day when he allegedly shouted obscene comments towards Prince Andrew as the Queen’s cortège passed along the capital’s Royal Mile. Mobile phone footage appears to show the man loudly yelling “You’re a sick old man” at the Duke of York over allegations related to his former friend, American sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The footage shows the protestor being pulled out of the crowd by two male bystanders before being quickly seized and detained by police officers.

A man who shouted at Prince Andrew on the day of the Royal Mile procession has escaped prosecution

But both anti-monarchy protestors will now no longer have to appear in court after the Crown confirmed this week all criminal proceedings against the pair have been dropped.

A Crown Office spokesperson said: “The Procurator Fiscal received a report relating to a 22-year-old female and an incident said to have occurred on 11 September 2022. After careful consideration of the facts and circumstances of the case, including the available admissible evidence, the Procurator Fiscal decided that there should be no proceedings taken at this time. The Crown reserves the right to proceed in the future if it is appropriate and in the public interest to do so.”

The spokesperson added: “The Procurator Fiscal received a report concerning a 22-year-old male, in connection with an alleged incident on 12 September 2022. After full and careful consideration of all facts and circumstances, the case was dealt with by way of an offer of an alternative to prosecution.”

The Crown would not confirm the details of the alternative to prosecution. The two men filmed grabbing hold of the protestor who heckled Prince Andrew were subsequently arrested in connection with an alleged assault on October 2. The men, both 34, have also been cleared after the Crown confirmed the pair will not face a criminal prosecution for their part in the alleged incident.

The Crown Office spokesperson said: “The Procurator Fiscal received a report relating to two males both 34 years old and an incident said to have occurred on 12 September 2022. After careful consideration of the facts and circumstances of the case, including the available admissible evidence, the Procurator Fiscal decided that there should be no proceedings taken at this time. The Crown reserves the right to proceed in the future if it is appropriate and in the public interest to do so.”