AND THE BAND PLAYED ON

Protester Wearing Toy Crown Nearly Trampled by Soldiers While Attempting to Disrupt Jubilee

Opening moments of celebrations of Queen Elizabeth’s big day marred by protest.

At least two protesters, including one wearing a mock crown, were dragged away by police after they attempted to interrupt the queen’s birthday parade in London on Thursday, the first day of celebrations marking Queen Elizabeth’s 70-year reign. The two people leaped out of the crowd and in front of red-coated soldiers marching down London’s principal ceremonial street near Buckingham Palace, shortly after the beginning of the proceedings at 10 a.m. One wore a crown and the other held a sign that appeared to be agitating for a redistribution of royal land. Officials later identified the protesters as being part of the vegan activist group Animal Rebellion. The soldiers did not break step and one of the protesters came close to being trampled.