Six leading members of the anti-monarchy group Republic were arrested in the United Kingdom on Saturday, as they prepared to protest along the route of a procession for the coronation of King Charles III.

According to AFP, the activists were preparing to protest with hundreds of placards when they were stopped by police. Republic Chief Executive, Graham Smith, was detained along with the other organisers of the protest.

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Harry Stratton, a director at Republic, who arrived as Smith and the others were detained, said, “They were collecting the placards and bringing them over when the police stopped them.

The guys asked why and they were told: we will tell you that once we have searched the vehicle. That’s when they arrested the six organisers.”

Police did not immediately provide a reason for the arrests. The Met police had tweeted earlier this week that they would have a “low tolerance” of those seeking to “undermine” the day.

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As many as 2,000 protesters were expected to assemble below Nelson’s column by midday on Saturday including representatives of the Swedish, Dutch and Norwegian republican movements.