A man was arrested Tuesday for allegedly throwing shotgun cartridges onto the grounds of Buckingham Palace, just days ahead of King Charles’ coronation.
Metropolitan Police said officers detained the suspect around 7 a.m. after he approached the gates of Buckingham Palace and threw what is suspected to be shotgun cartridges into the Palace grounds.
FILE: A general view of Buckingham Palace on February 20, 2022 in London, England. (Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images)
The cartridges have been recovered and are being taken to a specialist for examination, police said. The suspect is charged with suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon.
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The Palace was cordoned off after the man was also found to be in possession of a suspicious bag. Specialists attended and carried out a "controlled explosion" as a precaution, police said, without elaborating.
King Charles III's coronation day will also include Queen Consort Camilla — as she becomes Queen Camilla. (Hugo Burnand)
"There have been no reports of any shots fired, or any injuries to officers of members of the public," Chief Superintendent Joseph McDonald said in a statement. "Officers remain at the scene and further inquiries are ongoing."
More than 2,200 are expected to attend Charles’ coronation this Saturday, with more than 200 international representatives and roughly 100 Heads of State on the guest list.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.