A protester was arrested after throwing eggs at King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort, during a welcome ceremony in the English city of York on Wednesday.
The royal couple were greeting crowds and entering York through Micklegate Bar, a medieval gateway that serves as the traditional royal entrance to the city, when video footage showed several eggs zipping by their heads.
None of the eggs appeared to hit Charles or Camilla. Photos from the scene show broken egg shells and yolk on the street. Others even show eggs in mid-flight.
Several police officers could be seen grappling with a man at a crowd barrier. Britain’s PA news agency reported that he booed and shouted, “This country was built on the blood of slaves,” as he was being detained.
The Guardian reported he also screamed, “Not my King.”
Other members of the crowd tried to drown him out by chanting “Shame on you” and “God save the King.”
Police emptied the suspect’s pockets and found an extra unthrown egg.
The suspect was later carried away in handcuffs by police who put him in the back of a police van.
Charles and Camilla were ushered away from the scene and continued greeting crowds as part of an official ceremony in which the British monarch is welcomed into the city of York by its Lord Mayor. The last time the ceremony took place was in 2012, carried out by the late Queen Elizabeth II.
At least one of the eggs thrown at the royal couple appeared to have been deflected by the sheriff of York, Suzie Mercer, who was standing near the King during the incident.
Charles and Camilla traveled to York as part of a series of engagements around the U.K. marking the start of the new king’s reign. They also visited the city’s cathedral, York Minster, and unveiled a statue of Queen Elizabeth II, who died in September after 70 years on the throne.
The BBC spoke to an eyewitness who said the protester threw about five eggs towards the British monarchs.
— with files from The Associated Press
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