Arrests Made After 'Upsetting' Incidents in Queen's Queue

One man accused of rushing her coffin, another for sexual assault against 2 women also waiting in line
By Jenn Gidman,  Newser Staff
Posted Sep 17, 2022 10:45 AM CDT
In Queue to See the Queen, 2 Bizarre Crimes
People queue to walk past the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II as it lies in state in Westminster Hall in London on Saturday.   (Chip Somodevilla/Pool via AP)

People have been emotional enough as they queue up to catch a glimpse of the coffin of the late Queen Elizabeth II, who's lying in state at London's Westminster Hall until her funeral on Monday. Two incidents this week made things even more stressful, according to authorities. In the first, Adio Adeshine was arrested Wednesday while waiting in line at Victoria Tower Gardens Park, report Reuters and the Guardian. Police say the 19-year-old exposed himself and pushed himself into other mourners from behind, then ran off and jumped into the Thames to get away from the cops. He was eventually captured and charged Friday with sexual assault and breaching a sexual harm prevention order.

Meanwhile, the Evening Standard reports on another "extremely upsetting" incident tied to the ceremonies surrounding the queen. Metropolitan Police say that as the queue of mourners moved toward Elizabeth's coffin in Westminster Hall around 10pm local time Friday, one man left the line and "ran up to the queen's coffin," grabbing onto the flag covering it. Police say he was tackled "within seconds" and "arrested for an offense under the Public Order Act." "It's such disrespect to the body," one witness tells the Sun, which has images of the incident. "Just not what you thought you would ever see." (More Queen Elizabeth II stories.)

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