A government minister has insisted Scotland Yard did a "good job" policing the King's Coronation despite the force expressing "regret" over the arrests of six anti-monarchy protesters.

Health minister Neil O'Brien declined to criticise the Metropolitan Police, which said it had arrested the group using powers under the Public Order Act after the discovery of items that could be used as "lock-on devices".

But in a lengthy statement released on Monday, police said an investigation had been unable to prove the items, which were found alongside placards, were intended to disrupt the event. 

Republic chief executive Graham Smith said a chief inspector and two other Metropolitan Police officers visited him to issue a personal apology over what he called a "disgraceful episode".

But Mr O'Brien insisted officers did a "good job overall" of keeping peace at the Coronation after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak earlier backed the Met amid concerns they were cracking down on the right to protest.