LONDON: A man has been arrested after running towards the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, Lying-in-State at Westminster Hall in London as thousands of mourners file past to pay their respects.The man was arrested under the UK's Public Order Act and taken into custody, Metropolitan Police said. The incident occurred on Friday night and eyewitnesses reported seeing the man “run up” towards the raised platform on which the late monarch's coffin is laid along with the Imperial crown and other regalia. "Around 10pm on Friday 16 September, officers from the Met's Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Command detained a man in Westminster Hall following a disturbance,” the Met Police said in a statement. "We're aware of an incident in Westminster Hall, in which a member of the public moved out of the queue and towards the catafalque (raised platform),” a Parliament spokesperson said. The queue to see the coffin will close on the morning of the funeral for preparation of the procession to convey the coffin a short distance to the Abbey service.

Source: The Times September 17, 2022 18:56 UTC