Gurny’s post does come across as dismissive of others, as if those like him who disagree with the monarchy are too intellectually superior than those who support it. NI is broadly right, I feel, in suggesting that the public are generally ambivalent towards the monarchy as an institution. However, this doesn’t mean they would rather have a republic. I suspect many of the ambivalent would say a monarchy is needed for cultural reasons and having a non-political figurehead is ideal over a President Boris.
I do find JI’s post to be reductive and uncharacteristically uncharitable, especially on policing. I don’t think anyone has called for a destruction of the police force in relation to coronation controversies. However, the actions undertaken by The Met are very questionable indeed. People may not agree with protestors’ arguments, but they have a right to air protest in a country with free speech. The police have taken the line of it disturbing or hindering others as pretext, but that’s a line which no protest could reasonably meet. If they are consistent with this, all protest would have grounds for being shut down with arrests. It’s nothing more than authoritarianism, enabled by our hardline home secretaries. It’s disgraceful.
