Nine activists have been formally charged by police following a series of high-profile demonstrations at two of London's most iconic locations. The incidents involved the throwing of apple crumble and custard at the protective case containing the Crown Jewels at the Tower of London, and the dumping of manure beneath the Christmas tree in the lobby of the luxurious Ritz hotel in Piccadilly.
Manure Dumped at The Ritz Hotel
Four individuals face criminal damage charges in connection with the protest at The Ritz hotel, which occurred on December 3 last year. The activists, identified as Ellen Redwood-Brown (23), Tom Barber (66), Toby Ellwood (21), and Tjalle Rumley (26), are accused of emptying bags of manure in the hotel's lobby, creating what witnesses described as a stinking brown mound on the luxury carpet.
Security guards at the five-star establishment rushed to intervene as the protest unfolded. The activists also positioned themselves outside the hotel, unfurling flags bearing the slogan 'Inequality is sh**, tax the rich'.
Redwood-Brown, who works for the National Health Service, and Barber, a former medical doctor, publicly identified themselves as participants in the demonstration. Redwood-Brown stated at the time: 'The billionaires, corporations, and corrupt politicians running Britain don't care about us.'
Barber added: 'Power is concentrated in the hands of a small group of obscenely wealthy and ruthless individuals. They are hell-bent on enriching themselves, forcing the gap between the haves and the have-nots ever wider.'
Redwood-Brown and Barber are scheduled to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Monday, while Ellwood and Rumley will face the same court on April 29.
Crumble and Custard Attack on Crown Jewels
Just three days after the Ritz incident, on December 6, another protest targeted the Crown Jewels display at the Tower of London. Four activists smothered apple crumble and custard over the glass case housing the Imperial State Crown, leading to their arrest and subsequent charging with criminal damage.
The accused individuals are Fatima Ali (19), Miriam Cranch (22), Mack Preston (22), and Matthew Cooper (50). They will appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on April 27.
During this demonstration, the activists revealed a sign reading: 'Democracy has crumbled - tax the rich.' Footage shared by the protest group showed one demonstrator removing a large foil tray of crumble from a bag and slamming it against the protective glass. Another then poured a tub of bright yellow custard onto the front of the display case.
The protesters opened their coats to reveal t-shirts emblazoned with 'Take Back Power', while one shouted: 'Britain is broken. We've come here to the jewels of the nation to take back power.'
Significance of the Targeted Crown
The glass case targeted by the activists contains the Imperial State Crown, a symbol of British monarchy worn by the sovereign at the conclusion of coronation ceremonies and during formal occasions such as the State Opening of Parliament. This same crown was worn by King Charles III at his coronation in 2023, and previously adorned the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II during her lying-in-state period and subsequent state funeral at Westminster Abbey.
Organised Shoplifting Allegation
A ninth suspect, David Kilroy (66), faces separate charges of theft following an alleged incident of organised shoplifting at a Sainsbury's supermarket in Lewisham on March 14 this year. Kilroy is scheduled to appear at Bexley Magistrates' Court on April 29.
Take Back Power's Political Message
Police have identified all nine suspects as members of Take Back Power, a newly formed protest group whose central mantra is 'Tax the rich to fix Britain'. Following the Ritz protest, a spokesperson for the group stated: 'The super-rich have more than doubled their wealth since the pandemic, while this Christmas, a third of UK children suffer and grow up in poverty.'
The spokesperson continued: 'It's time ordinary people - those most affected by inequality, get a say in deciding how to tax wealth through the means of a legally binding citizen's assembly - a House of the People.'
After the Tower of London demonstration, the group issued another statement: 'Since 2011, the poorest 10 per cent of households have paid a combined tax rate of 44 per cent on their income and wealth gains, while the richest paid 22 per cent. Our political class, be it this government, Reform or Tory, serve the super-rich; they do not care about working people.'
The statement concluded: 'That's why we must demand real democracy, with ordinary people at the heart of decision making, through a citizen-led assembly that has the power to tax the rich.'
All nine activists are due to appear in various London courts over the next two weeks as legal proceedings commence against them.
