Four people have been arrested on suspicion of criminal damage after the display case containing the Crown Jewels at the Tower of London was apparently covered in food.
The vault where the artefacts are displayed, known as the Jewel House, has been closed to the public as police investigate the potential attack.
Police launched an investigation after reports of damage to the display case containing the State Crown.
The Metropolitan Police said that officers arrived at the scene on Saturday morning after reports of criminal damage.
A spokesperson for the force said: “Police were called at 09:48hrs on Saturday, 6 December to the Tower of London following reports of criminal damage to a display case, containing the State Crown.
“It was reported that four protesters threw suspected food onto the case before two left the scene.
“Officers worked closely with City of London Police and security officers and four people have been arrested on suspicion of criminal damage. They have been taken into custody.”
Police initially said that the Tower of London had been closed to the public but clarified that it is only the Jewel House that is shut off.
The Tower of London, which was built in the 1070s by William the Conqueror, now attracts more than three million visitors a year. The tower displays the Crown Jewels collection and the Coronation Regalia are at the heart of this exhibition.
This includes the Imperial State Crown, which is worn by the monarch at the end of the coronation ceremony and at formal occasions like the state opening of parliament.
The Coronation Regalia were made for King Charles II’s coronation in 1661 and have been safeguarded at the Tower of London since then.
This is a breaking story. More to follow…
