Student protesters held at Buckingham Palace

[Turborama]

Source: AFP

LONDON — Police arrested two suspected student fees protesters as they tried to talk their way into Buckingham Palace, Queen Elizabeth II's official residence, Scotland Yard said Thursday.

The men were reportedly carrying several political banners and were held on Wednesday as they tried to get through the staff entrance of the historic site in central London.

Matthew Bellis, 26, and Laurence Flanders, 20, were to appear at a central London court later Thursday "charged under Section 128 of the Serious and Organised Crime Police Act," a Metropolitan Police spokesman said.

The section covers trespass on protected royal, governmental and parliamentary sites including Buckingham Palace. Offenders face up to six months in jail and a fine.

It was not clear if the queen was in the palace at the time.

Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jeCgTalglr-zKL1wQC-R9QX05o2g?docId=CNG.4a0cfc22213226686d07c51e14f8109f.c31

[Mark Maker]

1. They're lucky to be alive

Can you imagine if a couple of dudes tried to get through a staff entrance of the White House? Think we would even hear from them again?

[Moosepoop]

2. To answer your questions:

Approaching a staff entrance to the White House would involve entering the grounds first by either trying to talk your way past the Secret Service (good luck with that) or by scaling the fence surrounding the grounds, and THEN having a talk with the Secret Service over having done that.

The White House fence has been jumped/scaled numerous times under Clinton, Bush II, and Obama. The jumpers/scalers were arrested and tried. So yes, I do think that if a "couple of dudes" tried to approach a staff entrance to the White House, we would hear from them again -- in the news, for being bozos enough to try it. Like we are now hearing about the bozos at Buckingham Palace.

[dipsydoodle]

3. Nut jobs

Section 128 covers this lot :

2.2 In England, Wales and Northern Ireland the categories of sites that can be designated by a Secretary of State are:

* crown land
* land belonging to Her Majesty The Queen in her private capacity, or the immediate heir to the Throne in his private capacity
* a site which it appears to the Secretary of State to be appropriate to designate in the interests of national security
* all licensed nuclear sites

http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/about-us/home-office-circulars/circulars-2007/018-2007/

Assuming they really were students this will look just wonderful on their CV's. :sarcasm:

[dipsydoodle]

4. They were charged and remanded in custody until 20th January

http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2011/jan/13/student-protesters-arrested-buckingham-palace

[No Elephants]

5. Peaceful protesting bastards!

I'm sure peaceful protestors of fee increases during very hard financial times deserve hostility from Democrats in the U.S. for the grievous sins of carrying "carrying several political banners" and trying to--*cluches pearls*--TALK their way into Buckingham Palace.

Merely being arrested under the SERIOUS and ORGANISED CRIME Police Act is nowhere near enough for these POS. Every good Dem must condemn them as well.

OK, sarcasm over.

I have no problem with the arrest for trespass. Surely, they knew they were risking that. I just don't understand venom from the left on this side of the Pond. Or any side of the Pond, really.

[melm00se]

6. Besides, other than the publicity of getting caught and charged for stupidity,

what was the purpose of the exercise?

The Queen has no real power within the British political system.