Canadians in London for the coronation of King Charles III should exercise a “high degree of caution,” the federal government warns.
Charles, who ascended to the throne following the Sept. 8, 2022 death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, will be crowned on Saturday – the first coronation of a British monarch in 70 years.
The spectacle is expected to attract thousands, but Canadian officials are urging its citizens travelling to the event to be on alert due to the threat of terrorism.
“Exercise a high degree of caution in the United Kingdom due to the threat of terrorism. … Previous incidents have resulted in casualties. They include random violent incidents in public areas, such as knife and vehicle attacks as well as explosions,” officials said in a May 2 travel advisory.
“These incidents have occurred mainly in the London area but have also happened elsewhere. Further attacks in the United Kingdom are likely.”
The coronation will take place at Westminster Abbey in London, with processions planned between Buckingham Palace and the abbey before and after the ceremony.
Large crowds are expected in the days before and after the event, including in the area of the High Commission of Canada, the government said. They can lead to disruptions to traffic and public transportation. Accommodations may be limited.
Terrorists have used occasions like public celebrations to mount attacks, Ottawa said. Targets could include government buildings, schools, places of worship, airports and other tourist attractions, like restaurants, bars, coffee shops, markets and hotels.
Most recently in 2019, a man previously convicted of terrorism offences stabbed two people to death and injured three others before being shot dead by police on London Bridge. In 2017, 30 people were injured after a homemade explosive device was partially detonated inside a crowded subway station.
“Always be aware of your surroundings when in public places,” the government said. The British government indicates on its website the national threat level for terrorism in the U.K. remains “substantial.”
U.K. police tightening security for coronation
The coronation involves one of the most important and complex security operations in U.K. history, Britain’s security minister said Wednesday.
“This is an enormously important moment for the country,” Security Minister Tom Tugendhat told Times Radio.
“The police are, to put it mildly, all over it, and our intelligence and other security forces are extremely aware of the challenges that we face and ready to deal with them — as the police did quite brilliantly yesterday.”
British police arrested a man and blew up a suspicious bag outside Buckingham Palace Tuesday, four days before scores of foreign royals, dignitaries and heads of state are expected to arrive for the crowning.
Metropolitan Police said officers arrested a man Tuesday evening after he approached the palace gates and asked to speak to a soldier. When he was refused, he began to throw shotgun cartridges into the palace grounds, the force said.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Ade Adelekan said the man was searched and a lock knife was found. He was arrested on suspicion of possession of a knife and ammunition. Adelekan said the man’s backpack was blown up in a controlled explosion after the suspect told officers to handle it with care.
Police said the run-in was not being treated as terrorism-related. No shots were fired, and no one was injured. Charles and Camilla, the queen consort, were not at Buckingham Palace at the time.
More than 9,000 police officers will be on coronation day duty in London. Tugendhat said the presence of so many foreign dignitaries – and potentially myriad protesters – made it “a very complex policing operation, a very complex intelligence operation.”
Hundreds of anti-monarchist protesters plan to chant “Not my king” during the procession, and police have said environmental activists could also try to disrupt the ceremonies. Activists accused authorities of trying to intimidate protesters with a government letter reminding them of new police powers to curb disruptive demonstrations.
The new measures in the Public Order Act, introduced in response to civil disobedience by environmental groups, allow police to search demonstrators for items including locks and glue, and impose penalties of up to 12 months in prison for protesters who block roads or interfere with “national infrastructure.”
Graham Smith of anti-monarchist group Republic described the letter as “intimidatory.” He said the group would protest as planned on coronation day.
— with files from The Associated Press