Four arrested after food thrown at Britain’s crown jewels
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LONDON - London police arrested four people on Dec 6 after apple crumble and custard were thrown at a display case containing Britain’s priceless crown jewels in the Tower of London, in the latest direct action protest stunt.
The city’s Metropolitan Police said officers responded to “reports of criminal damage to a display case, containing the State Crown” and that “four protesters threw suspected food onto the case before two left the scene”.
“Officers worked closely with City of London Police and security officers and four people have been arrested on suspicion of criminal damage,” the force added.
It noted they were in custody.
A little-known, self-proclaimed civil resistance group called Take Back Power claimed responsibility, saying its members had thrown the crumble and custard.
It is “demanding that the UK government establish a permanent citizen’s assembly... which has the power to tax extreme wealth and fix Britain”, according to a statement posted online.
The group shared a video of the incident on social media showing a young woman planting a foil tray containing the crumble up against the glass pane, followed by a young man splattering custard from a tub on top of it.
The Imperial State Crown, worn by King Charles III at the end of his 2023 coronation
‘Britain is broken’
Both suspected perpetrators in the footage wore T-shirts with “take back power” and a logo plastered on the front.
“Democracy has crumbled!” the young woman yelled, as the custard-throwing man added: “Britain is broken”.
“We’ve come here, to the jewels of the nation, to take back power,” he added.
The footage, filmed by another person close by and looking on, showed a female staff member with a walkie-talkie attempting to intervene, repeatedly shouting “excuse me!” as she radioed for help.
The incident is the latest example of so-called direct action demonstrations, targeting cultural, sporting and other sites in Britain and beyond.
Stunts have included targeting Vincent van Gogh’s glass-protected “Sunflowers” painting with tomato soup and daubing Stonehenge with orange paint powder.
Take Back Power targeted the Ritz Hotel on Dec 3, emptying bags of manure next to its Christmas tree.
The Crown Jewels were not damaged during its new stunt, the Historic Royal Palaces charity which manages the Tower of London said.
The Jewel House at the world-famous tower where most of the historic treasures are kept temporarily closed while police investigated, but reopened later on Dec 6.
Comprising more than 100 objects and over 23,000 gemstones, they are considered “of incalculable cultural, historical, and symbolic value”, according to the Historic Royal Palaces.
The jewels are part of the Royal Collection, held in trust by the monarch for the nation. AFP
