A Mexican student arrested in Edinburgh over the weekend after an anti-monarchy demonstration claimed the “wrongful” police action against her was “a violation of freedom of speech.”
Mariángela, who did not wish to reveal her last name, was holding a sign reading “f*** imperialism, abolish monarchy” during a ceremony for King Charles III at St Giles’ Cathedral in the Scottish capital on Sunday. This prompted the police to intervene and she has been charged with “breach of the peace”.
“I was wrongfully arrested while exercising my right to protest,” she is quoted as saying.
“Holding a sign, I condemned the centuries of colonial injustice, genocide, and unlawful extraction… carried out in the name of the British Crown,” the 22-year-old student living in Scotland said.
Police officers had been ordered by a superior to arrest her although initially it was suggested that she would be released, Mariángela told openDemocracy.
However, a spokesperson for Police Scotland attributed her arrest to her “behaviour likely to cause a reasonable person to suffer fear or alarm” and denied her sign was the reason for it.
The woman, due to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on September 30, is part of the left-wing campaign group Global Majority Vs.
Its members said Mariángela’s arrest was a “symptom of the ongoing movement to criminalise true freedom of speech”.
“There is an active effort to repress and isolate our condemnation of a ruling class,” they said in a statement reported by the Independent.
“The violence of Empire is not historic but present and is still sustained by the Crown and the establishment,” the group’s members said.
The police in Scotland also have arrested three men since Sunday for “breaches of the peace” during the Queen’s procession.
While a man was arrested and de-arrested in Oxford, a woman holding a sign at Parliament in London was led away.
The police actions triggered condemnations from rights groups who said the arrests were worrying”.
Anti-monarchy protester who was holding sign reading 'f*** imperialism, abolish monarchy' says her arrest violated freedom of speech
Mariángela is a 22- year-old University of Edinburgh student.
Moglai Bap and Mo Chara of Kneecap perform at Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm in Pilton, Somerset, Britain, June 28, 2025. REUTERS/Jaimi Joy
Police may probe anti-Israel comments at Glastonbury
BRITISH police said they were considering whether to launch an investigation after performers at Glastonbury Festival made anti-Israel comments during their shows.
"We are aware of the comments made by acts on the West Holts Stage at Glastonbury Festival this afternoon," Avon and Somerset Police, in western England, said on X late on Saturday (28).
Irish hip-hop group Kneecap and punk duo Bob Vylan made anti-Israeli chants in separate shows on the West Holts stage on Saturday. One of the members of Bob Vylan chanted "Death, death, to the IDF" in a reference to the Israel Defense Forces.
"Video evidence will be assessed by officers to determine whether any offences may have been committed that would require a criminal investigation," the police statement said.
The Israeli Embassy in Britain said it was "deeply disturbed by the inflammatory and hateful rhetoric expressed on stage at the Glastonbury Festival".
Prime minister Keir Starmer said earlier this month it was "not appropriate" for Kneecap to appear at Glastonbury.
The band's frontman Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh was charged with a terrorism offence last month for allegedly displaying a flag in support of Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah at a concert in November. He has denied the charge.
A British government minister said it was appalling that the anti-Israel chants had been made at Glastonbury, and that the festival's organisers and the BBC broadcaster - which is showing the event - had questions to answer.
Health secretary Wes Streeting said he was also appalled by violence committed by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank.
"I'd also say to the Israeli Embassy, get your own house in order in terms of the conduct of your own citizens and the settlers in the West Bank," Streeting told Sky News.
"I wish they'd take the violence of their own citizens towards Palestinians more seriously," he said.
(Reuters)