Anti-coronation protest leader hits out at police over arrests

Graham Smith said Met officers should hang their heads in shame after 52 detained in central London

Police who arrested anti-monarchy protesters before King Charles III's coronation have destroyed whatever trust might have existed between peaceful protesters and the Metropolitan police," the chief executive of the campaign group Republic has said.

After six members of the group were arrested at about 7.30am on Saturday - before their protest had begun - and had their placards seized, Graham Smith said officers should hang their heads in shame" and that police had shown no judgment, no common sense and no basic decency".