Man Arrested for Attempting to Lift Queen’s Coffin: Reports

Metropolitan Police in London have reportedly arrested a man for attempting to rush at Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin as she lies in state at Westminster Hall.

“At [10 A.M.] on Friday 16 September officers from the Met’s Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Command detained a man in Westminster Hall following a disturbance,” a spokesperson for the police force confirmed in a statement on Friday, September 16, per The Telegraph. “He was arrested for an offence under the Public Order Act and is currently in custody.”

According to the Daily Mail, the man pushed several mourners out of the way in his attempt to run toward the queen’s casket. The man tried to lift her coffin’s Royal Standard and reached out to touch the item. According to reports, authorities tackled him to the ground and arrested him. The BBC, which has been been livestreaming the queen’s lying in state 24 hours a day, also quickly cut away from the coffin when the incident took place, per the outlet. The sovereign flag appeared moved as the cameras focused again on the coffin.

At the age of 96, the queen died at Balmoral Castle in Scotland on Sept. 8. Her body was taken to London on Tuesday, September 13th, following a procession that took her from Aberseenshire and Edinburgh. King Charles IIIShe was received at Buckingham Palace by several other royal family members. They took part in a second procession to Westminster Hall the next day. She has been there since then, waiting for visitors to say goodbye. She will remain there until Monday, September 19, when she will be buried.

There were many people who turned out to honor Queen Elizabeth, including thousands of people. David BeckhamHe waited for 13 hours in a five-mile queue before finally being allowed to approach the coffin. As he waited in the chapel, the 47-year-old retired soccer star was seen shedding tears and later offered his condolences for the royal family.

“I was so lucky I was able to have a few moments in my life to be around Her Majesty,” he told ITV News. “[This is] a sad day but it’s a day to remember the incredible legacy she left. … It’s special to be here to celebrate, and to hear the different stories that people have to say.” The former Manchester United player — who was appointed an OBE (Order of the British Empire) in 2003 — added that his family always had a great deal of affection for the late monarch. “I grew up in a household of royalists and I was brought up that way,” he said. “I know that [my grandparents] would have wanted to be here, so I’m here on their behalf and on behalf of my family.”

He continued: “This day was always going to be difficult, and it’s difficult for the nation, it’s difficult for everyone around the world, because I think everyone is feeling it, and our thoughts are with the family and obviously with everybody here today.”