Jumpy

[poliphilo]

The mood around the royal funeral is jumpy. People expressing anti-royalist sentiments in public are taking a risk. A man who loudly asked "Who elected him?" at the proclamation of Charles III in Edinburgh was arrested. Another man who shouted "You're a sick old man," at Prince Andrew as he shuffled by in the wake of the coffin was assaulted by members of the public and then arrested- while his assailants got off scot free. Security around the rituals is costing an arm and a leg. When the New York Times reported that the British tax-payer is paying for it all (an incontrovertible fact) readers cancelled their subscriptions and accused it of snark.

Comments

[cmcmck]

Whatever happened to free speech?

[poliphilo]

There are limits. There always were.

[cmcmck]

But not set this low surely?

[poliphilo]

I can remember a time when almost any criticism of the monarchy was out of bounds- which is no longer the case. When you and I were kids TV series like The Crown and movies like Spencer would have been unthinkable. On the other hand, we're in a unique situation now. We haven't buried a monarch for over 70 years, no-one knows quite what to expect and mood on the streets is febrile.