Not all British protesters use Just Stop Oil tactics, we who’d like to abolish the monarchy. Just Stop Royal if you like, won’t disrupt your day.
Either with rape alarms to frighten the horses (in London, mind, where women are rightly reticent about their safety).
Or just getting protest signs out of the back of a van.
The latter peaceable activity which caused Steve to be arrested at King Charles’s first (count them) coronation.
Not that that the eight hours in custody has put Steve off coming up to pay Charles another visit… here today in Edinburgh.
It is the 74-year-old British monarch’s second coronation.
Because he hasn’t enough crowns or baubles from his English one.
And he needs a second one up here in Edinburgh to squirrel away his Scottish crowns and jewels.
With a special limousine on the procession just for his crown.
Behind the barrier
We, on the other hand, are behind a barrier, closed in on one side by the pavement and the other by the Royal Mile.
Outside the rather pompous toga-clad statue of philosopher of the Scottish Enlightenment David Hume.
And it was improved by having a ‘Not My King’ sign propped up between his legs.
And those there to protect us, the police (probably every cop in the city) were keeping busy.
They were there squeezing us further together so the royal watchers walking down from the bridge can pass by.
And so they would be unfettered by the Great Unwashed, or Republic Movement UK as we call ourselves.
Now royal watching we are told brings a king’s ransom to the country in tourism pounds.
Of course, we are expected to take it all at face value, although the Republic movement have been quick to dispel that.
The great divide
And Steve, well he was merely emboldened to carry on his protest from London.
When he was arrested and held conveniently for the day away from the Coronation and had his Go-Pro taken from him.
Alas, the police hadn’t wiped what was on it, the evidence of his arrest.
He awaits the conclusion of his complaint over his arrest and continues to fight the good fight.
Like the rest of us.. Just stop royal.
