A man who grabbed the flag from Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin has been sent to a mental health facility for treatment.
Muhammad Khan 28, was knocked to the ground by police after he grabbed the royal banner with both hands around 9:30 p.m. on September 16.
Officers immediately pinned him to the ground while the live feed of the coffin was cut out for about 15 minutes.
Louisa Cieciora, Deputy District Judge, found that Khan’s actions had caused members of the public distress and sent him for treatment at Tower Hamlets Mental Health Centre.
Khan, of Limehouse, had been charged under Section 4A of the Public Order Act, alleging he acted with the intent to cause harassment, alarm or distress to an unknown person or persons.
Adrita Ahmed, a prosecutor, told Westminster Magistrates Court: “On 16 September 2022, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II lay in state at Westminster Hall, with lines from the past public unveiling.
Gasps and screams from the public
“Muhammed Khan had queued to view the coffin and at 9:45am entered Westminster Hall, approached the coffin, grabbed the royal banner and raised it.”
Police officers said they heard gasps and screams from the public.
In an interview with police, Khan “expressed the idea that the Queen is not dead and that he went to the coffin because he wanted to see for himself.
“He said, and this was before the state funeral… that he was considering going to the funeral.
“I was planning to write to the royal family,” the prosecutor said.
“If they didn’t respond, I planned to go to Windsor Castle, Buckingham Palace and Balmoral to go talk to the Queen.”
Rakesh Bhasin, speaking in defence, said it was unclear whether the gasping and screaming was caused by Khan approaching the coffin or by the police officers who stopped him.
He said there was no evidence anyone had suffered significant harm or distress.
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