Man claims he was threatened with arrest over sign about King

An anti-monarchist protester in London says an outcry over arrests and threats of arrest has brought more people out and helped 'nip in the bud' any risk to freedom of expression.

• First published on RNZ

​​​​​​​Free-speech campaigners have said the arrests of anti-monarchy protesters after the death of Queen Elizabeth II are deeply concerning. Police in Scotland arrested two people in recent days, a man was arrested and de-arrested in Oxford, and protesters in London were asked to move.

One of the protesters in London, Paul, told Morning Report presenter Corin Dann he was threatened with arrest for writing 'Not My King' on a sign.

"There's been a bit of an outcry online about that and police put out a statement saying 'actually we do respect freedom of expression'.

"We're here today to test that - and to give them their due they are letting us do this protest.

"It's actually brought more people out  - a range of different opinions, obviously most of them not in favour of the monarchy but expressed in very different ways"

The Metropolitan Police said a member of the public had been asked to move from outside the Palace of Westminster "in order to facilitate vehicle access and egress through the gates" but had not been arrested or asked to leave the wider area.