London, UK – Four individuals were arrested Saturday morning after a protest at the Tower of London resulted in the defacement of the display case housing the imperial State crown. Metropolitan Police responded to the scene shortly before 10:00 GMT after reports that the case had been targeted with food items.
The protest was claimed by a group calling itself Take Back Power,which describes itself as a non-violent civil-resistance organization. The group stated the action was intended to pressure the UK government to establish a permanent citizen’s assembly – a “House of the people” – with the authority to “tax extreme wealth and fix Britain.”
Footage released by Take Back Power shows protesters throwing apple crumble and pouring custard onto the glass protecting the crown. Shouts of “Democracy has crumbled” and “Britain is broken. We’ve come here to the jewels of the nation to take back power” were audible in the video.
The Jewel House was temporarily closed while police investigated. Authorities confirmed the Imperial State Crown itself was not damaged. the Jewel House reopened to the public early Saturday afternoon.
Policing minister Sarah Jones condemned the incident as “disgraceful,” emphasizing a distinction between the right to protest and “unacceptable behavior.”
This is the second presentation attributed to Take Back Power in recent days. On Wednesday, three protesters deposited manure in the lobby of the Ritz hotel.
The Imperial State Crown, worn by King Charles III at his coronation in 2023 and used for the State Opening of Parliament, contains 2,868 diamonds, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds, four rubies and 269 pearls, and weighs over a kilogram. It was originally created in 1937 for the coronation of King George VI.
