Man arrested after rushing Queen’s coffin at Westminster Hall

A man was tackled to the ground and arrested after trying to pull the flag from the Queen’s coffin at Westminster Hall.

A man was tackled and arrested in Westminster Hall.

A man was tackled to the ground and arrested after trying to pull the flag from the Queen’s coffin at Westminster Hall.

Horrified mourners watched on as the man reached over the aisle and grabbed the Royal Standard with both hands, just hours after King Charles and his family held a vigil.

It’s believed he was trying to reveal Her Majesty’s coffin underneath as the late monarch lies in state until Monday, The Sun reports.

Live streams from Westminster Hall cut out for around 15 minutes shortly after 10pm as security guards pinned the man to the ground.

A man has been tackled to the ground and arrested after rushing the Queen’s coffin at Westminster Hall.

Horrified onlookers who came to pay their respects to the monarch watched on in shock.

Mourners appeared to be in shock, with one witness, Tracey Holland, telling Sky News: “Some person decided they were going to push my [seven-year-old niece] out the way, run up to the coffin, lift up the standard and try to do I don’t know what.

“She was grabbed out the way and the police had him within two seconds.

“Terrible, absolutely terrible, so disrespectful and unbelievable — and this poor little seven-year-old child, this is her lasting memory of the Queen.”

Another witness told The Sun: “We thought someone had fainted and then we heard someone shriek.

“Someone got up to the coffin, grabbed the flag and pulled it upwards.

“They picked up the bottom and wafted it, almost to see what was underneath.”

“It happened so fast.”

The mourner, who did not wish to be named, described members of the public “hysterically crying” and “shaking” after the horror intrusion.

Metropolitan Police released a statement confirming the man was in custody.

“Around 10pm on Friday 16 September, officers from the Met’s Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Command detained a man in Westminster Hall following a disturbance.

“He was arrested for an offence under the Public Order Act and is currently in custody.”

Police confirmed the man had been arrested for an offence under the Public Order Act and was in custody.

The incident came just hours after King Charles III and family held a vigil beside the coffin of their mother. Picture: Eddie Mulholland / WPA Pool / Getty Images

Members of the public queue on Lambeth Bridge in London on September 14, 2022 to view the coffin of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, lying in state at Westminster Hall. Picture: Louisa Gouliamaki / AFP

Thousands line up to pay respects to the Queen

Tens of thousands of people have lined up through the city in order to pay their respects to the Queen before her funeral on Monday — some waiting a full day to make it inside Westminster Hall.

Officials have previously warned that some people may end up being turned away before they get inside, however, as they’re predicting there will be too many people to accommodate.

A 16-kilometre infrastructure and barriers for airport style queuing has been set up, with over 500 portable toilets along the route.