Aussie football fan arrested for heckling Prince Andrew at Queen's coffin
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A bloke wearing an Australian football shirt disrupted The Queen’s coffin procession through Edinburgh by heckling Prince Andrew.
The man in question was subsequently tackled to the ground by fellow spectators before police eventually intervened and arrested him.
Footage has since emerged of the wild incident, with the footy fan appearing to yell: "Andrew, you’re a sick old man."
The man, wearing a Melbourne City kit, wasn't the only person to find themselves in hot water over their actions at the procession.
It's understood local police have arrested a total of three people for anti-monarchy demonstrations in recent days as the Queen's body makes its way down to London following her death at her Scottish residence in Balmoral.
But as crowds filled the streets to view the coffin, some spectators took it upon themselves to demonstrate.
The person in the crowd who shouted "Andrew, you're a sick old man" — he was rude, out of order, etc. But does that permission bystanders to shove him to the ground like this?
— Jeremy Vine (@theJeremyVine) September 12, 2022
(via @HolyroodDaily) pic.twitter.com/1VOUG65qOK
King Charles III walked behind the hearse alongside the Queen’s other children Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward.
Although Andrew, whose behaviours have been well documented over the years, did not march in ceremonial military uniform like his siblings.
And given his countless scandals, one spectator thought it'd be an appropriate time to taunt the prince.
"Andrew, you’re a sick old man," a voice can be heard among the silence.
Prince Andrew heckled as the Queen's coffin passes pic.twitter.com/85m9jUgszF
— Christopher Marshall (@chrismarshll) September 12, 2022
The man was literally just a few metres from the coffin and Andrew himself, but fellow mourners acted quickly and dragged the bloke-in-question to the ground.
Other vision posted on social media shows spectators shouting “God Save the King” in a bid to drown out the protester’s heckles.
As he was pushed away from the scene, the guy wearing Melbourne City jersey could be heard telling the police officer “I’ve done nothing wrong”.
The man was wearing a hoodie emblazoned with Australia's Melbourne City Football Club logo.
Formerly known as Melbourne Heart, the football team was renamed Melbourne City when it was taken over by top flight English Premier League side Manchester City in 2014.
A spokesman for Police Scotland told Holyrood a 22-year old man was arrested 'in connection with a breach of the peace' on the Royal Mile around 2.50pm on Monday.
When asked why he heckled Prince Andrew, the Royal Mile protester told Holyrood reporter Joseph Anderson that 'powerful men shouldn't be allowed to commit sexual crimes and get away with it'.
Spoke to the protestor who was arrested on the Royal Mile today for shouting abuse at Prince Andrew during the Queen’s procession - his name is Rory, here’s what he had to say: pic.twitter.com/8GTwnVGLF7
— Joseph Anderson (@janderson_news) September 12, 2022
The protester was referring to the accusations against the Queen's son by Jefferey Epstein victim Virginia Giuffre.
Prince Andrew was accused by Giuffre of forcing her to have sex at a property belonging to Ghislaine Maxwell when she was just 17 years old.
As a result of the accusations, Prince Andrew was stripped of his military titles by his mother, although reports suggest he will be allowed to wear a military uniform to The Queen's funeral.
Prince Andrew no longer faces a criminal trial after reaching an out of court settlement with his accuser.
He still denies the allegations.
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