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Fewer weather forecasts or quieter beeps at supermarket checkouts – all out of respect for the dead Queen. Some think this is going too far. But their criticism is not welcome.
In Great Britain there is currently only one topic – is this impression correct? In the media, royal reporting completely dominates. Every detail of the celebrations will be broadcast live and commented on. On the streets outside of the government district of Westminster, however, the picture looks different, says freelance UK correspondent Peter Stäuber: “There is much less excitement.” People are saddened by the death of the Queen, but they also have many other problems. “Everyday life goes on again.”
How do critics react? Many people have trouble with the very pious tone of the media, says Stäuber. Some mourning gestures even offend people: For example, the example of a supermarket turning down the beep at the checkout out of respect for the Queen. Or a weather service that makes less regular weather forecasts for the same reason.
Almost a quarter of the population would want to abolish the monarchy. “The collective reverence that you find everywhere goes against the grain of these people,” says Stäuber. They express their displeasure these days: with heckling at a procession in Scotland, for example, or with posters that say “Not my king”.
How is the state reacting? The police have arrested some critics of the monarchy. It was not always clear on what legal basis this happened. “The harsh reaction of the authorities has triggered a lot of criticism,” said correspondent Stäuber. Supporters of the monarchy also speak of a gross violation of the right to freedom of expression. Because: It’s not just about mourning the Queen, but also about the change of head of state. The public has no say in this. If you want to protest against it, then now during the change of power. That is why many find it worrying that this possibility is being blocked by the police.
Do we already have to speak of repression? Correspondent Peter Stäuber finds that a very harsh word. There are still isolated cases and it remains to be seen how the police will handle future protests.
Above all, the arrests show that the authorities are quite thin-skinned when it comes to criticism of the new king or the form of government. This also shows a lack of confidence in the stability of the British monarchy.