Anti-monarchy protester with crude sign taken away by police at proclamation of King Charles III

A woman was arrested after a protester held aloft a crude anti-monarchy sign ahead of the accession proclamation of King Charles III in Edinburgh. Police Scotland said the arrest was made outside St Giles' Cathedral, where the Queen's coffin is due to be held on Monday.

Moments before the proclamation on Sunday afternoon, which followed proclamations across the country including in Manchester, a demonstrator appeared in the crowd opposite the Mercat Cross. She held a sign saying 'f*** imperialism, abolish monarchy'.

Officers appeared behind her and took her away, prompting the crowd to applaud. One man shouted: "Let her go, it's free speech," while others yelled: "Have some respect." A police spokesman said a 22-year-old woman was arrested 'in connection with a breach of the peace'.

It came after hecklers were heard booing during the event. During the first proclamation of Charles, the Lord Lyon King of Arms gave a speech before declaring 'God save the King', which the crowd repeated.

One man was heard booing throughout the cheers. The national anthem was then sung but, afterwards, people could be heard calling for a republic. After Lord Lyon King led three cheers, saying 'hip hip' to replies of 'hooray', booing was heard for a second time. Some mourners called the hecklers “disrespectful”, saying they should have avoided the proclamation if they believe in a republic.

Helen Smith, 48, from Livingston, said: "I believe everyone does have a right to protest, but I thought it was the wrong place at the wrong time. (It was) incredibly disrespectful to the event that we were just seeing."

Ms Smith, an engineer, she feels it dampened the event for the rest of the crowd. "We saw the police keeping an eye on things behind us,